It was generally believed that muscular atrophy of paralyzed limbs after stroke was due to disuse. However, recent studies have found that secondary lesions of motor neurons in the contralateral anterior horn of the spinal cord and the decrease of motor units lead to denervation, which plays an essential role in muscular atrophy and muscle fiber type transition. This article reviews the phenomenon and mechanism of muscular atrophy and denervation of paralyzed limbs after stroke, to provide a reference for clinical evaluation and experimental research.