Biomechanical performance of orthopedic gloves

The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical performance of c ommercially available orthopedic gloves to that of a single surgical glove, as well as a double glove system. The orthopedic gloves were found to be t hicker than the single surgical glove. This increased thickness of the orth opedic glove was associated with a greater resistance to glove puncture. Th e thickest orthopedic gloves also had reduced tactile sensitivity when comp ared to the single surgical glove. In addition, the glove donning forces an d glove hydration rates varied considerably. These latter biomechanical per formance parameters were not significantly related to glove thickness. The double glove systems tested in this study had similar performance character istics in regard to many of the orthopedic gloves. The glove donning forces for the double glove systems were the lowest of the gloves tested. In addi tion, the double glove systems displayed the greatest resistance to glove h ydration of the gloves tested. Their performance in the glove hydration tes ts and the force required to don the double glove systems were much more de sirable than any of the orthopedic gloves. The results of this study indica te that the double glove systems may provide a desirable alternative to the use of the single orthopedic gloves. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.