![Sample our Health and Social Care journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5938/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Health-Social-Care.jpg"})
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate which measures of physical impairments of both upper extremity (UE) and lower extremity (LE) would predict restrictions in participation with 105 community-dwelling stroke subjects.
Methods: For this cross-sectional, exploratory study, participation was assessed by the daily activity and social role domains of the Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H). The potential predictors included measures of physical impairments (UE and LE motor recovery, sensation, motor coordination, and strength deficits).
Results: Step-wise multiple linear regression analyses revealed that, for the daily activity domain, LE strength deficits and UE motor recovery explained 28% of the variance in the LIFE-H scores and LE strength deficits alone explained 22% (F = 29.5; p< .0001). For the social role domain, LE strength deficits and sensation explained 22% of the variance in the LIFE-H scores and LE strength deficits alone explained 16% (F = 20.6; p< .0001).
Conclusions: Strength deficits of the LE muscles were the physical impairment variables that best predicted participation in both daily activity and social role domains of the LIFE-H. Although significant, UE motor recovery and LE sensation added little to the explained variance. Future research is needed to determine whether progressive resistance strength training program enhances participation after stroke.
Residual strength deficits of the LE muscles were the physical impairments that showed to be the main predictors of restrictions in participation, as determined by the daily activity and social role domains of the LIFE-H 3.1.
It is possible that stroke individuals would benefit from physical interventions aiming at improving the strength of the LE muscles, when the goal is to enhance participation.
Implications for Rehabilitation
Keywords:
Disclosure statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.