The purpose of the present study was to relate motor function of 34 male C4-C8 motor complete quadriplegic patients to independence in the daily performance of 17 individual self-care activities (5 feeding, 7 dressing, and 5 bed mobility) identified in the Quadriplegia 1ndex of Function at 6 to 24 months after injury. All subjects with function limited to the biceps (bilateral manual muscle tests
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) required maximal assistance in all evaluated activities, except for two subjects who were independent in supine to side turning and maintaining sitting balance in bed. Subjects with function limited to the extensor carpi radialis (stronger side
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) were independent in some feeding activities, but most appeared dependent in bed mobility and dressing. The majority of subjects with function limited to the triceps (stronger side
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) performed all self-care tasks independently except for cutting food and lower extremity dressing. These results suggest that although subjects with function limited to the biceps or the extensor carpi radialis may be capable of performing some self-care independently as reported by previous investigators, many do not do so on a daily basis.
