title: Arm and leg impairments and disabilities after stroke rehabilitation: relation to handicap.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To examine the relationships between measures of impairment and disability for the arm and leg with a measure of handicap and (2) to identify the impairment or disability most strongly related to handicap situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intensive functional rehabilitation unit and community.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two persons who had a stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arm and leg impairments and disabilities were evaluated with reliable and valid tests at discharge from rehabilitation. Six months later, handicap situations were evaluated with the Assessments of Life Habits (LIFE-H).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arm and leg impairments and disabilities are correlated with handicap situations. Disability of the leg is more strongly associated with handicap than arm disability. Arm and leg disabilities are not statistically more strongly related to handicap than arm and leg impairments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high correlations found between handicap situations and the impairment and disability measures of the leg provide new information that support the importance of mobility to promote integration after stroke.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre on Aging, Sherbrooke Geriatric University Institute and Faculty of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada. johanne.desrosiers@usherbrooke.ca
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desrosiers
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malouin
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourbonnais
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rochette
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bravo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000209:etiology; D004856:Postural Balance; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation