Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH)
What It Measures
The DASH asks how much trouble a person is having using their arm, shoulder, or hand — all of it, as one unit. That is deliberate. A single questionnaire covers every joint in the upper limb, so a therapist can use the same measure whether the problem is at the shoulder or the thumb, and whether there is one problem or several.
Thirty items rated 1 to 5 cover physical function, symptoms including pain and tingling, and social and psychological effects, over the past week. Scores convert to a 0 to 100 scale where higher means more disability. Two optional four-item modules cover work and sports or performing arts, for people whose demands go beyond ordinary daily activity. These are scored separately.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: Free licenses are granted for non-commercial use, but users must agree to IWH's terms and conditions and obtain permission before use.
Learn More: Scoring has a strict rule: a score cannot be calculated if more than three of the 30 items are missing. A shorter QuickDASH (11 items) exists and uses the same 5-point scale and scoring formula; a QuickDASH-9 also exists. Reported minimal important change for the DASH is around 10 points. The measure has been translated into more than 50 languages.
