The Japanese Society for Surgery of the hand version of the disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) questionnaire is an evaluation measure of quality of life (QOL) for patients with upper extremity disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the DASH for patients with shoulder disorder. 54 patients with shoulder disorders were assessed their shoulder function with the DASH, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and the Japan Shoulder Society Shoulder Sports Score (JSS-SSS). The shoulder rotational muscle strength was also measured using a Biodex dynamometer. The isokinetic peak torque ratio was calculated under both 60 and 180 deg/sec conditions. The DASH was compared with the JOA score, the JSS-SSS, or the peak torque ratios. Correlation coefficients between the DASH and the JOA score or the JSS-SSS were -0.73 and -0.35. There was a high negative correlation between the DASH and the peak torque ratio of the shoulder rotational muscle strength (r=-0.43 ∼ -0.59, p<0.01). The DASH has been widely used in the area of hand surgery in Japan, however, there have been few reports in shoulder disorders. The strong correlation between the DASH and the JOA score supported that the validity and reliability in shoulder function. The DASH also reflected the shoulder muscle strength, and should be widely used in evaluating QOL in shoulder disorders.
