Applications of statistical tests in hand surgery.

During the 19th century, with the emergence of public health as a goal to improve hygiene and conditions of the poor, statistics established itself as a distinct scientific field important for critically interpreting studies of public health concerns. During the 20th century, statistics began to evolve mathematically and methodologically with hypothesis testing and experimental design. Today, much of medical investigation centers around clinical trials and observational studies, and with the application of statistical formulas, the collected data are summarized, weighed, interpreted, and presented to direct both physicians and the public toward evidence-based medicine. Having a basic understanding of statistics is mandatory in evaluating the validity of published literature and applying it to patient care. In this review, we discuss basic statistical tests to assist the investigator in choosing the correct statistical test and present examples relevant to hand surgery research.