The Colles fracture case yielded a permanent disability of 13%. This percentage is derived from grip strength comparisons between the injured and uninjured hands.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. Only the uninjured hand is used

Answer: (A)

Assessing permanent disability for hand injuries relies on grip strength as a primary functional measure. After a Colles fracture, the degree of functional loss is often quantified by comparing the injured hand’s grip strength to that of the uninjured hand, using a dynamometer and averaging several trials. This objective comparison translates into a hand impairment rating per the AMA Guides and California workers’ compensation norms, which then contributes to the overall permanent disability percentage. In your case, the measured deficit in grip strength corresponds to about 13%, so deriving the permanent disability from this grip-strength comparison is the correct approach. This method uses the comparison between hands rather than relying on the uninjured hand alone, and it does not indicate that there isn’t enough information.