The association between dexterity and upper limb impairment during stroke recovery

Stroke-induced upper limb disabilities can be characterized by both motor impairments and activity limitations, commonly assessed using Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMMA-UE) and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), respectively. The relationship between the two assessments during recovery is largely unstudied. Expectedly they diverge over time when recovery of impairment (restitution) plateaus, but compensation-driven improvements still occur. The objective of this study is to evaluate the alignment between FMMA-UE and ARAT in defining upper limb functional recovery categories by ARAT scores. We aimed to establish cut-off scores for both measures from the acute/early subacute, subacute and chronic stages of stroke recovery.