Painful hemiplegic shoulder of stroke patients in a convalescent rehabilitation ward and its affecting factors

Abstract

The factors that affect the induction and progress of painful hemiplegic shoulder (PHS) in stroke patients with hemiplegia were examined in this retrospective cohort study. Our study included stroke patients with hemiplegia who underwent rehabilitation in our recovery phase rehabilitation ward. Age, sex, PHS, shoulder subluxation, paralysis side, paralysis degree of upper limbs and fingers, motor function, and activities of daily living ability were evaluated at the time of entering the ward and discharge. In our logistic regression analysis, only the degree of paralysis of the upper limb was extracted as a factor that affected the induction of PHS. Additionally, the degree of paralysis of the upper limb was worse in patients whose PHS persisted than in patients who recovered. Our results suggest that PHS might occur and remain, regardless of shoulder subluxation, in stroke patients with severe hemiplegia.