Characteristics of patients with hemiparetic stroke who yield highly reliable muscle strength measurements

[Purpose] Accurate measurement of unaffected lower extremity muscle strength on the unaffected side is useful in patients with hemiparetic stroke; however, muscle strength measurement results in patients with hemiparetic stroke vary greatly compared with those in healthy individuals. The objective of the present study was to determine the characteristics of patients with hemiparetic stroke who yield highly reliable muscle strength measurements. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 55 incipient patients with hemiparetic stroke. Muscle strength was measured twice. Based on the measured changes and on error ranges in repeated measurements in previous studies, the subjects were divided into two groups: subjects whose measurement results were within the acceptable range, and those whose measurement results were not within the acceptable range. Logistic regression analysis was performed with this separation of groups as the dependent variable, and demographic data, physical functioning, and functional independence measure (FIM) as independent variables. [Results] From the analysis results, the FIM cognitive subscore was selected as a criterion for patient selection; the cutoff score was 19. [Conclusion] The results of the present study indicated that muscle strength measurements were highly reliable in patients with hemiparetic stroke with an FIM cognitive subscore of ≥19.