Measuring continuous real-world upper-limb activity.

The Strathclyde Upper-Limb Activity Monitor (SULAM) was used to assess real-world upper-limb activity. The SULAM consists of an electro-hydraulic activity-sensor which measures the vertical displacement of the wrist in relation to the shoulder. The aims of this study were to obtain a profile of upper-limb activity in two different populations (able-bodied participants and stroke patients) Ten able-bodied volunteers and ten stroke patients-wore the SULAM while performing their everyday activities. The outcome measures were movement time, its distribution in five vertical ranges, bimanual and unimanual movement time. There was a difference in the use of both upper-limbs for both groups, favouring the dominant/unaffected arm. This difference was only in two of the five ranges (chest to shoulder and shoulder to head for able-bodied participants; waist to chest and chest to shoulder for stroke patients). Bimanual movement was greater than unimanual movement for able-bodied participants whereas unimanual movement was greater than bimanual movement for stroke patients.