Although hemiplegia is a common effect of strokes, it is not a term commonly known by the general public. I hear many people refer to individuals paralyzed from a stroke as being a paraplegic, or having paraplegia. This is not correct.
Paraplegia is paralysis in both legs, below the waist. It is usually caused by a spinal cord injury or illness. (Quadriplegia is paralysis below the neck and is also usually the result of a spinal cord injury.) In strokes, the paralysis is on one side of the body and is called hemiparesis when there is complete paralysis of the affected side. Hemiplegia is defined as partial paralysis or weakness on one side of the body and is the term most commonly used in stroke survivors. It is often used instead of hemiplegia even when there is complete paralysis.
Pediatric hemiplegia is commonly seen with cerebral palsy. Perinatal stroke is the most common cause of cerebral palsy. One side of the brain controls the other side of the body, if someone has a stroke in the left side of their brain, the paralysis or weakness will always be in the right side of their body. Also someone with right-sided hemiplegia is likely to have aphasia, because the language centers are located in the left side of the brain. Someone with hemiplegia will move their limbs with stiff, rigid movements. The majority of movement is likely to come from a major joint, instead of the affected limb. Most of the arm movement is from the shoulder and not the arm muscles and most of the movement in the leg is from the hip, not the leg muscles.
Depending on the severity of the weakness or paralysis, stroke survivors may be totally unaware of their affected side. They may ignore it completely, which can be dangerous, because the affected limbs are more vulnerable to accidents or injuries.
Paraplegia is paralysis in both legs, below the waist. It is usually caused by a spinal cord injury or illness. (Quadriplegia is paralysis below the neck and is also usually the result of a spinal cord injury.) In strokes, the paralysis is on one side of the body and is called hemiparesis when there is complete paralysis of the affected side. Hemiplegia is defined as partial paralysis or weakness on one side of the body and is the term most commonly used in stroke survivors. It is often used instead of hemiplegia even when there is complete paralysis.
Pediatric hemiplegia is commonly seen with cerebral palsy. Perinatal stroke is the most common cause of cerebral palsy. One side of the brain controls the other side of the body, if someone has a stroke in the left side of their brain, the paralysis or weakness will always be in the right side of their body. Also someone with right-sided hemiplegia is likely to have aphasia, because the language centers are located in the left side of the brain. Someone with hemiplegia will move their limbs with stiff, rigid movements. The majority of movement is likely to come from a major joint, instead of the affected limb. Most of the arm movement is from the shoulder and not the arm muscles and most of the movement in the leg is from the hip, not the leg muscles.
Depending on the severity of the weakness or paralysis, stroke survivors may be totally unaware of their affected side. They may ignore it completely, which can be dangerous, because the affected limbs are more vulnerable to accidents or injuries.
