Hi Australia Calling.
I speak from my own experience having had some 15 hand surgeries for MD. The big question was as to when the surgery should be carried out to correct the contraction.The medical profession talk about "Hueston's Table Top Test."if the total of the contraction of the joints of the affected finger exceeds 30o. then this is the optimum to improve the disabled function.
As a lay person ,I would be guessing and without some instrument ,find it impossible to obtain the exact measurement in degrees.
My surgeon had me place my hand on its back ( palm up ), fingers outstretched as straight as I could, he then took an exact measurement from the tip of the fingernail to the top of the table surface of the affected fingers. This was documented. At each 3 monthly
enterval the measurement was taken and when it reached 5 to 6 cm. or 2inches approximately , I then had to make the choice of when to programme my surgery. This is an easy way to monitor your own contracture .
The thumb is not able to be measured in this way . I was alway advised not to let the contracture get to great
particularly in pip joints as they don't always come back straight. That's the danger. The simple task of putting on a glove will indicate when the contracture is giving you loss of function. Hope this sheds some light.Regards.

Edited at 14.03.08 01:30

Thank you kindly newman for the table top test thread. Now I understand.

Got Dups the hard way,

Dyingbreed45