Pinch Grip Test!

Hello everyone, just an open question I feel needs addressing by CAPITA/ATOS..

What are your views on what I personally consider an assessment that is open to conjecture and disputed findings by anyone..

As many of you will have had one of these "pinch grip" tests whereby you have to pinch the assessors fingers with your forefinger and thumb only to later to be adjudged to have "good or adequate" strength in your (possible arthritic) fingers... SURELY TO GOODNESS this test MUST be addressed and evidenced by the assessor by using a baseline mechanical pinch gauge which gives an accurate reading of pinch strength that will be evidence that both the client and assessor can agree on...not firmly biased in favour of the assessor by simply saying good/adequate grip which can loose you valuable descriptor points... There are scales of accepted strength indicators in existence which will clearly show if you have poor or good grip..

Any opinions on this issue by people who feel they have been unfairly marked down on this test?? (My wife being one....)

In my opinion, some of these assessors really rely on no one challenging their 'expert' (loose term there) opinion. My assessor carried out a very thorough physical examination of me with her x-ray eyes. She was able in the space of 5 minutes to carry out the same physical examination that took my ms neurologist who is a mere Professor 30 minutes to complete. Make of that what you wish

Hi Becky.....EXACTLY!!..as you say they just decide you have a good grip based on their say so or other descriptors you state that you suffer with don`t seem to exist once they have carried out their "thorough" examination...Very biased system not in favour of the claimant..

Luckily it seems my wife will be eligible for standard rate care and higher rate mobility, but only after I submitted 72 pages of evidence.. Thought the home F2F report was very inaccurate in some parts on the daily living care aspect yet on this occasion thankfully I won`t need to challenge the overall decision!!......

Hiya.
Yes pip does to me every time

I got severe R.A. with plenty of evidence saying so, fingers ,thumbs, wrists, elbows, etc. Then what I tell assessor, plus the appearance of the joints. But it all gets ignored. !

Decision letter says I have good grip
M.R letter say I have adequate grip

Then after appealing to tribuneral. Another decision maker finally reads my medical evidedance and I get put back on enhanced care.

They do it on purpose and think I won't appeal. They a right bunch of gits.

Hi ooohiduno, yes...all of this could be simply remedied by using a dynamometer pinch grip gauge, readily available and which gives an instant reading of your pinch grip strength which the assessors would have to accept, not to keep saying everyone has good grip or pinch strength when obviously not everyone has...which results in time consuming MR or appeals when taken in conjunction with other issues....

Hiya.

Yes I was at O.T. hand therapy last March and used a Dyno. therapist looked up the reading on chart and I got the power grip of a 10 yr old child in my good hand..

The squeeze the finger job. Is just about giving people no more than std care.