Effect of hand dominance on functional outcomes in paediatric patients with flexor tendon injuries: A cross-sectional study

Introduction There are limited data in the literature about the short- to mid-term results of children with flexor tendon injuries. We aim to evaluate the short- to mid-term functional outcomes of children with flexor tendon injuries and to disclose whether the injured side affects the results. Materials and methods Patients who had undergone primary flexor tendon repair were included in the study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. Modified Hand Injury Severity Score was calculated for each patient. Sensory, motor and functional assessments of the bilateral hand were performed. Results A total of 44 patients (female = 16, male = 28) with a median age of 13 (6-17) were evaluated. Significant differences between the affected and healthy hands of the patients in terms of grip and pinch strengths and monofilament sensory test results were demonstrated while the Jebson Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) scores were similar. No factor other than the injury side was found to be related to the affected hand functions. In patients with dominant hand injuries, JTHFT results of the affected hands were similar to the results of healthy dominant hands (P = .935). However, JTHFT results were found to be worse in the affected non-dominant hands compared to healthy non-dominant hands (P = .01). Conclusion This study demonstrated that paediatric population with flexor tendon injuries in their dominant hands has better short- to mid-term functional outcomes. These results may be attributed to use their injured dominant hand more actively in daily activities.