Poststroke shoulder pain: its relationship to motor impairment, activity limitation, and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between poststroke shoulder pain, upper-limb motor impairment, activity limitation, and pain-related quality of life (QOL).


METHODS
Cross-sectional, secondary analysis of baseline data from a multisite clinical trial.


METHODS
Outpatient rehabilitation clinics of 7 academic medical centers.


METHODS
Volunteer sample of 61 chronic stroke survivors with poststroke shoulder pain and glenohumeral subluxation.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
We measured poststroke shoulder pain with the Brief Pain Inventory question 12 (BPI 12), a self-reported 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS) that assesses "worst pain" in the last 7 days. Motor impairment was measured with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). Activity limitation was measured with the Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT) and the FIM instrument. Pain-related QOL was measured with BPI question 23, a self-reported 11-point NRS that assesses pain interference with general activity, mood, walking ability, normal work, interpersonal relationships, sleep, and enjoyment of life.


RESULTS
Stepwise regression analyses indicated that poststroke shoulder pain is associated with the BPI 23, but not with the FMA, FIM, or AMAT scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Poststroke shoulder pain is associated with reduced QOL, but not with motor impairment or activity limitation.
Chae
John
J
Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA. jchae@metrohealth.org
Mascarenhas
Don
D
Yu
David T
DT
Kirsteins
Andrew
A
Elovic
Elie P
EP
Flanagan
Steven R
SR
Harvey
Richard L
RL
Zorowitz
Richard D
RD
Fang
Zi-Ping
ZP
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*