Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The ‘M2 DASH’—Manchester-Modified Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand Score

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
HAND

Abstract

The Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was originally designed as a measure of disability in patients with disorders of the upper limb, but the DASH score is also affected by disability because of lower limb disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the construct validity of the DASH questionnaire and to create a revised DASH questionnaire, the Manchester-modified or M2 DASH, with fewer questions that is more specific to the upper limb. Patients were asked to fill in the DASH questionnaire in a fracture clinic after ethical approval. This included 79 patients with upper limb injuries, 61 patients with lower limb injuries, and 52 control subjects. The mean DASH scores for the three groups varied significantly, and the lower limb group had a mean score of 16. The M2 DASH questionnaire was developed using questions more specific to the upper limb and included questions 1–4, 6, 13–17, 21–23, and 26–30 from the original questionnaire. The mean M2 DASH score for the lower limb group was 9 and, unlike the original DASH score, was not statistically different from the control group. The M2 DASH scores were then calculated for the upper limb group and a correlation study showed highly significant correlation between the original DASH scores and the M2 DASH scores. Our study shows that the original DASH questionnaire is not specific for the upper limb. The M2 DASH questionnaire has the advantage of being more specific for the upper limb than the DASH questionnaire, and it correlates well with the original DASH questionnaire when looking at isolated upper limb injuries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adams J, Burridge J, Mullee M, Hammond A, Cooper C. Correlation between upper limb functional ability and structural hand impairment in an early rheumatoid population. Clin Rehabil 2004;18:405–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Angst F, John M, Goldhahn J, et al. Comprehensive assessment of clinical outcome and quality of life after resection interposition arthroplasty of the thumb saddle joint. Arthritis Rheum 2005;53:205–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Baldry Currens JA. Evaluation of disability and handicap following injury. Injury 2000;31:99–106.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Beaton DE, Katz JN, Fossel AH, et al. Measuring the whole or the parts? Validity, reliability and responsiveness of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand outcome measure in different regions of the upper extremity. J Hand Ther 2001;14:128–46.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Beaton DE, Wright JG, Katz JN. Upper extremity collaborative group. Development of the QuickDASH: comparison of three item-reduction approaches. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2005;87:1038–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chiari-Grisar C, Koller U, Stamm TA, Wanivenhaus A, Trieb K. Performance of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand outcome questionnaire and the Moberg picking up test in patients with finger joint arthroplasty. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2006;87:203–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Dowrick AS, Gabbe BJ, Williamson OD, Cameron PA. Does the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) scoring system only measure disability due to injuries to the upper limb? J Bone Joint Surg 2006;88B:524–7.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Drummond AS, Sampaio RF, Mancini MC, Kirkwood RN, Stamm TA. Linking the disabilities of arm, shoulder, and hand to the international classification of functioning, disability, and health. J Hand Ther 2007;20:336–44.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jupiter JB, Ring D. Treatment of unreduced elbow dislocations with hinged external fixation. J Bone Joint Surg 2002;84A:1630–5.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Khan WS, Agarwal M, Muir L. Management of intra-articular fractures of the proximal interphalangeal joint with internal fixation and bone grafting. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2004;124:654–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Khan WS, Fahmy NRM. The S-Quattro in the management of sports injuries of the hand. Injury 2006;37:860–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. McKee MD, Wild LM, Schemitsch EH. Midshaft malunion of the clavicle. J Bone Joint Surg 2003;85A:790–7.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Solway S, Beaton DE, McConnell S, Bombardier C. The DASH outcome measure user’s manual. 2nd ed. Toronto: Institute for Work and Health; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Wilcke MK, Abbaszadegan H, Adolphson PY. Patient-perceived outcome after displaced distal radius fractures a comparison between radiological parameters, objective physical variables, and the DASH score. J Hand Ther 2007;20:290–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK

    Wasim S. Khan

  2. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Preston Hospital, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9HT, UK

    Rohit Jain

  3. Department of Medical Statistics, South Manchester University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M23 9LT, UK

    Bernice Dillon

  4. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Rochdale Infirmary, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 0NB, UK

    Lawrence Clarke

  5. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Royal Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 3FY, UK

    Max Fehily

  6. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, SK7 2PE, UK

    Mark Ravenscroft

  7. Academic Clinical Fellow, University College London Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, London, HA7 4LP, UK

    Wasim S. Khan

Authors
  1. Wasim S. Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rohit Jain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bernice Dillon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lawrence Clarke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Max Fehily
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mark Ravenscroft
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wasim S. Khan.

About this article

Cite this article

Khan, W.S., Jain, R., Dillon, B. et al. The ‘M2 DASH’—Manchester-Modified Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand Score. HAND 3, 240–244 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-008-9090-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-008-9090-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation