Evaluation of the design and materials of anti-vibration gloves: Impact on hand dexterity and forearm muscle activity

Many anti-vibration gloves are available in the market but there are lacks of understanding of their effectiveness in facilitating various hand movements. This study addresses the knowledge gap through a wear trial with five types of anti-vibration gloves made of chloroprene rubber and spacer fabric. Surface electromyography of three forearm muscles of 16 male subjects was conducted during gripping, key pinching, woodblock transporting, screw inserting and screw driving tasks. The correlation between the compression properties of the gloves and hand performance was also evaluated. The results show that hand dexterity is inhibited and more muscle activity is needed to carry the woodblocks with the spacer fabric glove without special design features. A thicker glove can reduce the demand of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle when using an impact driver. A thinner dorsal side and tailored padding can enhance hand dexterity. The findings can be used as a reference for designing anti-vibration gloves.