Hemiplegia is a disorder of the body of the patient in which the lateral half of his body is paralyzed. It is normally the result of a vascular brain accident, like a stroke, though also can be provoked by pathologies that affect the backbone or the cerebral hemispheres.
The hemiplegia is similar to the hemi paresis, but the paresis is considered to be less serious, since the strength of the affected muscles diminishes, but they are not immobilized.