title: Relationship Between Grip and Pinch Strength and Activities of Daily Living in Stroke Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between grip and pinch strength and independence in activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 577 stroke patients from January 2010 to February 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' grip and pinch strength of both hemiplegic and non-hemiplegic hands and the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) score were collected. These patients were divided into three groups: group A (onset duration: ≤3 months), group B (onset duration: >3 months and <2 years), and group C (onset duration: ≥2 years). The correlation between grip and pinch strength and the K-MBI score was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A (95 patients), the K-MBI score was significantly (p<0.05) correlated with the grip and pinch strength of both hands in patients with right hemiplegia. Significant (p<0.05) correlation between the K-MBI score and the grip and pinch strength of the hemiplegic hand was shown in patients with left hemiplegia. In group B (69 patients) and group C (73 patients), the K-MBI score was significantly (p<0.05) correlated with the grip and pinch strength of the hemiplegic hand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke patients in subacute stage mainly performed activities of daily living using their dominant hand. However, independence in ADL was associated with the strength of the affected dominant hand. For stroke patients in chronic and late chronic stages, their hand power of the affected hand was associated with independence in ADL regardless whether the dominant hand was affected.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Si Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Mook
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Don-Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Iee
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: Activities of daily living; Functional laterality; Hand strength; Pinch strength; Stroke