J Korean Med Sci.  2009 May;24(Suppl 2):S288-S298. 10.3346/jkms.2009.24.S2.S288.

Development of Korean Academy of Medical Sciences Guideline for Rating Physical Disability of Upper Extremity

• Park JH
• Kim HC
• Lee JH
• Kim JS
• Roh SY
• Yi CH
• Kang YK
• Kwon BS

• KMID: 1713815
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2009.24.S2.S288

Abstract

While the lower extremities support the weight and move the body, the upper extremities are essential for the activities of daily living, which require many detailed movements. Therefore, a disability of the upper extremity function should include a limitation of all motions of the joints and sensory loss, which affects the activities. In this study, disabilities of the upper extremities were evaluated according to the following conditions: 1) amputation, 2) joint contracture, 3) diseases of upper extremity, 4) weakness, 5) sensory loss of the finger tips, and 6) vascular and lymphatic diseases. The order of 1) to 6) is the order of major disability and there is no need to evaluate a lower order disability when a higher order one exists in the same joint or a part of the upper extremity. However, some disabilities can be either added or substituted when there are special contributions from multiple disabilities. An upper extremity disability should be evaluated after the completion of treatment and full adaptation when further functional changes are not expected. The dominance of the right or left hand before the disability should not be considered when there is a higher rate of disability.

Keyword

Disability Evaluation; Range of Motion; Upper Extremity Function

MeSH Terms

*Disability Evaluation
Hand Injuries/classification/physiopathology
Humans
Joint Diseases/classification/physiopathology
Korea
Muscles/physiopathology
Peripheral Vascular Diseases/classification/physiopathology
Program Development
Sensation/physiology
Severity of Illness Index
Upper Extremity/*physiopathology

Reference

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