Physiotherapy Assessment in the Differential Diagnosis of Occupational Dystonia

Abstract

Introduction: The authors present a physiotherapeutic assessment proposal to contribute to the differential diagnostic of movement disorders of occupational origin in the hand. Two movement disorders related with repetitive movements were selected: writer´s distony and carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods and materials: Through a review of scientific articles, ethological and clinical characteristics for each entity were established as well as the evaluative parameters to be included in the instrument. Results: According with ethologic and clinical differences of this type of disorders, tests such as neural tension for median nerve, provocation test and superficial & cortical sensitivity test and dynamometry allow to determine specific clinical differences for each health condition. Conclusions: This proposal of physiotherapeutic clinical evaluation through this instrument becomes the first approach in physiotherapy to contribute to differential diagnosis of occupational movement disorders between carpal tunnel syndrome and occupational hand´s dystonia.