Physical abilities of community-dwelling adults more than six months post stroke: a cross sectional survey
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background and purpose of the study \nThe length of stay for patients with stroke in some South African government \nhospitals has been shown to be inadequate and there is little information on \nthe physical impairments and functional abilities of this population once they \nreturn to the community. An assessment was done of the strength, range of \nmovement and the presence of pain experienced by patients with stroke in the \nDaveyton community and the relationship between these impairments and the \nfunctional abilities of these patients was established. \nResearch methods and procedures employed \nThis was a quantitative study using a descriptive cross sectional study design. \nThirty-four conveniently sampled patients with stroke were assessed in their \nDaveyton homes. The functional measures used were the Modified rivermead \nmobility index (MRMI) and Barthel index (BI). The strength was assessed \nusing a hand-held dynamometer, range of movement (RoM) with a standard \nuniversal goniometer and pain with the Eleven faces pain scale. The \nsignificance of the study was set at 0.05 and the relationships between \nimpairments and functional abilities were expressed using the Spearman’s \nrank correlation coefficient. \nResults \nSignificant differences were found between the strength, as well as the RoM \nof the affected and unaffected sides (p < 0.05). The muscles most affected by \nwere: Biceps, Gastrocnemius and Tibialis Anterior. The smallest strength \ndifference was found in Gluteus maximus. The ranges of movement most \naffected were: shoulder flexion and elbow extension. The smallest difference \nwas found in knee extension. Eighty-five percent of the sample attained \nscores indicating that they were independently mobile (measured by the \nMRMI), and 82% were independent in activities of daily living (measured by \nthe BI). There were good correlations between the patients’ strength \nimpairments and their functional abilities (r = 0.54 to 0.79) and mobility (r = \n0.51 to 0.76). Functional abilities and mobility had moderate to good \nrelationships with active range of movement of shoulder flexion, lateral \nshoulder rotation and dorsiflexion. The percentage of patients experiencing \npain was 73%, but pain displayed no relationship with functional ability (r = \n0.14) and mobility (r = 0.15). \nConclusion \nMost people living with stroke in the Daveyton community are functionally \nindependent despite the high prevalence of pain. Stroke results in significant \nstrength and active range of movement deficits on the affected side. Most \nstrength impairments correlated well with the functional ability and mobility of \nthis sample, but active range of movement impairments that influenced \nfunctional measures were mainly shoulder and ankle movements.
Author: Luschka Anne Dearle
Language: English
Subfield: Rehabilitation
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Research Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W66733874