Reliability of upper extremity kinematics while performing different tasks in individuals with stroke

Assessments of upper extremity performance typically include qualitative rather than quantitative measures of functional ability. Kinematic analysis is an objective, discriminative measure that quantifies movement biomechanics; however, the use within the poststroke impaired upper extremity is not well established. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of upper extremity kinematics in 18 individuals with stroke and 9 healthy controls. Participants performed reaching and grasping tasks over 2 separate days and metrics included movement time, peak velocity, index of curvature, trunk displacement, maximum aperture, and percentage of the movement cycle where maximum aperture occurred. The results showed moderate to high intraclass correlation and low standard error of measurement values for most variables, demonstrating that kinematic analysis may be a feasible and useful tool to quantify upper extremity movement after stroke.