Clinical: Hemiparesis and Stroke

Question 1

Paresis versus plegia

Answer 1

Weakness versus no movement

Question 2

Presentation of someone with hemiparesis

Answer 2

Has pyraidal weakness, so the upper limb flexors are stronger than the extensors and in the lower limb, the extensors are stronger than the flexors.

This leads to on one side, a internally rotated arm, that is flexed, with the wrist and fingers flexed also. May also be some loss of the sensory component. In the lower limb, stiff legs with some degree of circumduction to avoid toe scraping