Pain syndromes in hemiplegic patients and their effects on rehabilitation results

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, type, and location of pain in hemiplegic patients and the effects on rehabilitation results in our inpatient rehabilitation unit. [Subjects and Methods] Patients rehabilitated between January 2010 and July 2012 were investigated retrospectively. Properties of pain were recorded. Pre- and post-rehabilitation motor evaluation and achievement in daily activities were considered, and differences in scores between groups classified as with and without pain were examined. [Results] The number of patients included in the study was 156. The mean age was 64.28 ± 12.45 years, the mean disease duration was 11.10 months, and the gender distribution was 75 males (48%) and 81 females (52%). Fortysix (29.5%) patients had pain complaints. The nociceptive pain ratio was 86.7%, and the neuropathic pain ratio was 13.3%. Pain was mostly localized at the shoulder joint, with the proportion being 86.9%. In the pain group, statistically significant improvement was found in pain scores after the treatment. There was no significant difference between groups in the pre- and post-rehabilitation Brunnstrom motor evaluation and functional independence measurement scores. [Conclusion] Nociceptive pain is more common than neuropathic pain in patients with hemiplegia, and the shoulder joint is the most frequent location of nociceptive pain.