Arm pain Quick DASH

Arm pain Quick Dash questionnaire gives you an idea of just how sore and disabling it is.

This objective test is for the individual who wants to know just how bad his or her suffering is. How one experiences a deep, dull ache is very subjective; is it real or are you being a hypochondriac?

Taking a test like this to your chiropractor, or doctor for that matter, gives them so much information about where you really are. This is particularly true if you have the feeling you aren't being taken seriously.


A man with shoulder pain.

Please answer every question, based on your condition in the last week, by circling the appropriate number. Make your best estimate even if you haven't played tennis or golf recently.

The deeply debilitating ache, even sharp stabs, is bad enough but many folk rate disability even more highly; the inability to put on a coat, for example with a frozen shoulder and useless limb or the difficulty a carpenter with tennis elbow has using a screwdriver.

Or the ache and tingling in your hand that wakens you in the early hours of the morning with CTS can be measured more objectively.

Keep a record of your results; repeat the test three, six and twelve months later. You may be lucky and see progress within four weeks, but don't bank on it; the discomfort often increases initially with treatment. When function returns the ache will lessen.



DASH: Disability - Arm - Shoulder - Hand

Just how miz are you? This questionnaire asks about

  • your symptoms including neck shoulder arm pain
  • your ability to perform certain activities.

Arm Pain Quick DASH

Arm pain quick dash questionaire is a simple test for the individual who also wants an objective measure of the disability he or she is experiencing.

Activity No difficulty Mild difficulty Moderate difficulty Severe difficulty Cannot do at all due to arm shoulder hand pain
Open a tight jar. 1 2 3 4 5
Household chores. 1 2 3 4 5
Carry a grocery bag. 1 2 3 4 5
Wash your back. 1 2 3 4 5
Use a knife to cut food. 1 2 3 4 5
Golf, hammering, tennis etc. 1 2 3 4 5
Disturbed social activities. 1 2 3 4 5
Limiting work and daily activities. 1 2 3 4 5
Arm, shoulder, hand pain 1 2 3 4 5
Tingling in the arm. 1 2 3 4 5
Sleep disturbance. 1 2 3 4 5

Your Quick-Dash score = {[(Sum of your 11 scores)/11] -1} x 25.

Eg: {[(2+1+4+3+5+4+2+3+1+4+4)/11] -1} x 25

= {33/11 -1} x 25 = {3-1} x 25 = 50

0 - No disability

40 - Moderately disabling

100 - Most severe disability


How bad is my pain?

In a group of 109 patients scheduled for surgery in an orthopedic department, the overall arm pain Quick Dash score before the operative procedure was 39. So, if you have a figure around 40 that would be considered bad enough to go under the knife as the Dutch quaintly say.

The Shoulder and Carpal Tunnel group averaged 49, by the way. They are obviously more disabling.

No patient had a presurgery score of 90, but after the procedure one person, tested a year later, registered a score of 93. Only 12 of the 109 patients gave a figure of zero after twelve months.

To my knowledge no research has yet been done to prove how well chiropractic treatment shapes up compared to our medical colleagues. One thing I can tell you is that none of our post treatment patients would have a score of 93.

Chiropractic first.


Stress

"How does stress affect health, and "How might it affect your Arm Pain Quick Dash score?" are questions heard daily in the clinic. Another that goes with it is, "Why do I always get sick on holiday?" Food for thought. That's why I take a day's leave before I leave on holiday, and have one day at home before I go back to work.

Take a quick browse of this site. Then hit the return button - I'll be waiting to continue our conducted tour of quickDash! How does stress affect health?


Optional WORK module

This questionaire helps you work out how much pain and disability you have at work. Just how much pain is "mouse arm" causing you? That hammer and screwdriver?

Activity No difficulty Mild difficulty Moderate difficulty Severe difficulty Cannot do at all due to arm shoulder hand pain
Using your usual technique at work. 1 2 3 4 5
Doing your usual work. 1 2 3 4 5
Working as well as you would like. 1 2 3 4 5
Able to spend usual time at work. 1 2 3 4 5

Your Arm Pain Quick Dash WORK score = {[(Sum of your 4 scores)/4] -1} x 25.

Eg: {[(2+1+4+5)/4] -1} x 25

= {12/4 -1} x 25= {3-1} x 25= 50



Optional SPORTS module

So, how disabling and painful is that fixated AcromioClavicular when you are trying to throw a baseball? Are you being a wimp? Is it really painful and you should immediately be seeking Chiropractic Help?

Tip: Be very hesitant to have a cortisone shot in the shoulder if you are a sportsman. It weakens the tendons, I've seen several cases of biceps tendons that have snapped after cortisone.  Anti Inflammatory drugs dangerous though they are would be a better option if you are reluctant to consult a chiropractor.

Activity No difficulty Mild difficulty Moderate difficulty Severe difficulty Cannot do at all due to arm shoulder hand pain
Using your usual technique for playing your sport. 1 2 3 4 5
Playing your usual sport. 1 2 3 4 5
Playing as well as you would like. 1 2 3 4 5
Able to spend your usual time at sport. 1 2 3 4 5

Your Arm Pain Quick Dash SPORTS score:

{[(2+1+4+5)/4] -1} x 25

= {12/4 -1} x 25= {3-1} x 25= 50

Dear Dr B, I thought I must drop you a line to let you know that all the hard work you did on my frozen shoulder before I went to the UK really paid off - my shoulder has returned to nearly 100%.  I occasionally have pain when I wake up in the morning.  Have been good about doing all my exercises and know that it is really essential to keep on exercising.  Hope I never experience this horrible condition again.
I don't feel I need any treatment at the moment, but know where you are should I need it.
 
Thank you for all your hard work.
 
Best wishes.
Karen


Optional PERFORMING ARTS module


Musicians put their bodies into quite unusual contortions, often for long periods each day as they practise. Many doctors have no idea of the pain and disability they experience, let alone how to treat it.



I first realized this when my son took up classical guitar as a profession. For the first time I had to apply basic chiropractic principles to bizarre pain in the hands; an upper thoracic ache and tingling in his arms was not uncommon either.

Just how bad is that pain?

When did you last go to a live music concert? Interestingly, researchers find that it is the lower tones, not heard on a CD, that are so deeply relaxing; like the breaking of the waves at the seashore. The cello remains one of my favourite instruments.

So, it's not not for show that they move in what might otherwise be considered ostentacious manners. The body is meant to move and, whether its long hours behind the wheel of a truck, or holding a violin in a strange posture, the end result is a deep ache. The arm pain quick dash questionaire gives you an objective measure of the discomfort.


Activity No difficulty Mild difficulty Moderate difficulty Severe difficulty Cannot do at all due to arm shoulder hand pain
Using your usual technique for playing your instrument. 1 2 3 4 5
Playing your instrument as well as you would like. 1 2 3 4 5
Playing as well as you would like. 1 2 3 4 5
Playing as well as you would like. 1 2 3 4 5

Your Arm Pain Quick Dash PERFORMING ARTS score:

{[(2+1+4+5)/4] -1} x 25

= {12/4 -1} x 25= {3-1} x 25= 50


PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AGREE ...

PTs agree that neck shoulder arm pain should be considered as one entity, as you see from our Lower Cervical Facet Anatomy link. This next link will give you an excellent perspective of the PT take on pain in the arm.

Scroll down past the Dutch Arm Pain Quick Dash questionaire for more in English. Sorry, I'm a Dutchman!


NECK SHOULDER ARM PAIN ...

 LOWER CERVICAL FACET ANATOMY ...


Nederlands - Basis Quick Dash Score

activiteiten Eenvoudige moeilijkheids- graad Milde moeilijkheids- graad Matige moeilijkheids- graad Zware moeilijkheids- graad Onmogelijk door de pijn in arm, schouder, hand
Openen van een deksel. 1 2 3 4 5
Huishoudelijke karweitjes. 1 2 3 4 5
Een boodschappentas dragen. 1 2 3 4 5
Uw rug wassen. 1 2 3 4 5
Gebruik een mes om voedsel te snijden. 1 2 3 4 5
Golf, timmeren, tennis etc. 1 2 3 4 5
Verspreid sociale activiteiten. 1 2 3 4 5
Beperk werk en dagelijkse activiteiten. 1 2 3 4 5
Arm-, schouder-, hand pijn 1 2 3 4 5
Tintelingen in de arm. 1 2 3 4 5
Slaapstoornis. 1 2 3 4 5

Uw Arm Pain Quick Dash score = {[(Som van uw 11 scoren)/11] -1} x 25.


Bijvoorbeeld: {[(2+1+4+3+5+4+2+3+1+4+4)/11] -1} x 25

= {33/11 -1} x 25
= {3-1} x 25
= 50

0   - <b>Niet beperkt</b>

100 - <b>Zeer beperkt</b>

Disturbed sleep

Arm pain is often bad at night; disturbed sleep is the norm.

Chiropractic help

Chiropractic help is appropriate for all these conditions causing pain in the upper limb; the arm pain quick DASH score gives you a measure of how bad your syndrome is, and whether it's responding to the treatment.

Exercise for shoulder abduction.

Olive Pate ... A joyous way to experience the anti-inflammatory properties of olives and olive oil.

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