OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of modified wheelchair arm-support to mitigate hemiplegic shoulder pain and reduce pain frequency in stroke patients. DESIGN: A single-blind randomized controlled trial using computer-generated simple randomization. SETTING: Participants recruited from inpatients at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. SUBJECTS: A total of 120 patients with stroke were divided into two groups. INTERVENTIONS: All subjects underwent basic rehabilitation training and wheelchair assistance with eight weeks follow-up period. Patients in the treatment group additionally received modified wheelchair arm-support for at least 60 minutes a day, six days a week, for four weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was measured by the visual analogue pain scale or numeric pain rating scale. Secondary outcome was measured using the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, Modified Barthel Index and Quality of Life Index. Measurements were made at 4 weeks and 12 weeks, following the intervention. RESULTS: Patients age from 21 to 83 years (mean +/- SD 62.41 +/- 12.26). The average duration of disease was 1.9 +/- 1.3 months. At four weeks, the median of pain intensity was higher in the control group (median, interquartile range 3, 5.75 versus 2, 3.75; p = 0.059). At 12 weeks, the median of pain intensity was higher in the control group (median, interquartile range 3, 5.00 versus 0, 1.00; p < 0.001). At 12 weeks, patients with shoulder pain were higher in the control group (6 versus 1; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using the modified wheelchair arm-support could lead to the mitigation of hemiplegic shoulder pain and reduction in pain incidence in stroke patients. It may also improve the patients' quality of life.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher