The relationship between shoulder pain and joint position sense, postural control, tactile sensation, and muscle strength in chronic hemiplegia

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between shoulder pain and joint position sense, postural control, tactile sensation, and muscle strength in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive study, with 78 individuals with chronic stroke (48 males, 30 females). The participants were divided into two groups: those with shoulder pain and those without. Assessments were performed on the affected upper limb and included shoulder proprioception (inclinometer), postural control (Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS-T)), tactile sensation (Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament test), gross grip strength (dynamometer), and pinch grip strength (pinch meter). RESULTS: The findings of the study revealed significant differences between individuals with and without shoulder pain across joint position sense, postural control, tactile sensation, and grip strength (all p < 0.05). Effect size analyses indicated that these differences ranged from small-to-moderate (d = 0.49-0.75) to large-to-very large (d ≥ 0.98), supporting the clinical relevance of the observed group differences. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that shoulder pain is significantly associated with motor and sensory functions in chronic hemiplegic individuals. It also underscores the necessity for rehabilitation programs to be tailored according to individuals' pain conditions, emphasizing the critical role of this factor in patient recovery processes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06793852. Registered on January 21, 2025.