Clinical apparatus for evaluating and improving manual dexterity

A clinical manual dexterity measurement instrument comprising:

• a plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized control objects sized to a size to be held in a user's single hand for in-hand manipulation of a single one of the plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized control objects while simultaneously stabilizing other ones of the plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized control objects in the ulnar palm of the user's single hand;
• an interior unobstructed, open hollow collection base having a horizontal bottom, a front upright wall, left upright wall, rear upright wall, right upright wall, and a top opening;
• a lid received on said interior, unobstructed, open hollow collection base at the top opening and movable between a closed position in which the lid closes the top opening and an opened position in which the top opening is open, said lid comprising a flat board, wherein said interior unobstructed, open hollow collection base, said front, left, rear and right upright walls and said lid in the closed position form an interior unobstructed, open hollow interior space therebetween;
• and
• a plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized openings configured on said lid in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, said plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized openings configured at a plurality of different angles with respect to each other and configured to receive the plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized control objects to clinically measure and/or improve manual dexterity of a single hand of a user, whereby the plurality of identical-shaped and identical-sized control objects passing through any of said one or more identical-shaped and identical-sized openings are received in said interior, unobstructed, open hollow collection base.

A method of clinically measuring and improving manual dexterity of a user, specifically single in-hand manipulation of predetermined plurality of identical-shaped control objects, comprising:

• providing the plurality of identical-shaped control objects to be held in a single hand of the user;
• providing a clinical manual dexterity measurement instrument with a lid having a plurality of identical-shaped openings aligned in rows and columns, the identical-shaped openings configured to a size and shape of each of the plurality of identical-shaped control objects to clinically measure and/or improve manual dexterity of the user using manual skill of palm-to-finger tip translation, shift and rotation of one of the plurality of identical-shaped control objects while simultaneously stabilizing other ones of the plurality of identical-shaped control objects in the ulnar palm to accurately orient and insert the one of the plurality of identical-shaped control objects into one of the plurality of identical-shaped openings;
• and,
• raising the lid off of a surface to enable the identical-shaped control object to pass through the plurality of identical-shaped openings.

A clinical manual dexterity measurement instrument comprising:

• a lid comprising a flat board;
• a plurality of identical-shaped openings configured on said lid in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, said plurality of identical-shaped openings configured at a plurality of different angles with respect to each other and configured to require increased wrist movement to accurately orient and insert a control object to receive the control object to clinically measure and/or improve single manual dexterity;
• and
• one or more hinged legs pivotally coupled to said lid to rotate with respect to said lid between a folded storage position and an unfolded operating position that raises said lid off of a surface whereby control objects can pass through any of said plurality of identical-shaped openings to the table surface.