Hand injuries can significantly impair a patient's physical functioning, independence, and overall quality of life. These injuries often require intricate treatments, such as fracture fixation, tendon repairs, or soft tissue reconstruction, which can impact daily activities like gripping, dexterity, and fine motor skills. In German-speaking regions, there is a growing need to integrate patient perspectives into care, especially with the rise of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) [[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]]. PROMs are vital for patient-centered care, ensuring that the patient's voice is valued in the treatment process. Among PROMs frequently used in hand research, the DASH, QuickDASH, and Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) have the most widely published psychometric properties. However, even these PROMs lack complete evidence to support their use in hand surgery research and clinical practice based on contemporary PROM standards, as put forward by the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). DASH and QuickDASH assess upper extremity disability but may lack specificity for hand-specific domains. MHQ is more hand-focused but still lacks modularity and modern psychometric development. In contrast, the HAND-Q offers modular, independently functioning scales, developed using Rasch analysis and grounded in patient interviews, ensuring high content validity and flexibility across clinical and research contexts [8,9]. To address the need for hand-specific outcome measurement, the HAND-Q was developed. Designed and validated following international PROM standards, it is available for patients with various hand conditions, including injuries requiring surgery, soft tissue repair, or rehabilitation. The development process involved interviews with 62 patients with diverse hand conditions to create preliminary scales, followed by cognitive debriefing with 20 patients and feedback from 25 healthcare professionals. An international field test, with 1277 participants, led to the finalized HAND-Q, comprising 14 independently functioning scales, offering a comprehensive tool for assessing hand conditions [[8], [9], [10]].

The aim of this study was to translate and linguistically validate the HAND-Q into German. By having a validated German version of the HAND-Q, healthcare providers in German-speaking countries will be able to better understand patient outcomes and experiences, thus improving treatment plans and care strategies. The use of this tool will also contribute to research in hand injuries, helping to refine surgical and therapeutic interventions and ultimately enhancing patient satisfaction and recovery.