Left/right judgement does not influence the effect of mirror therapy after stroke

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between left/right judgement and the effect of mirror therapy (MT). A partial aim was to describe adverse effects of MT. Methods: This prospective follow-up study included 36 stroke patients, mean time since stroke was 33 d, SD 23. Left/right judgement is the ability to judge a pictured hand as belonging to one side of the body or the other. In this study, left/right judgement was established before the onset of MT by asking the patient to recognise left and right hands in photographs. Patients were tested before and after the intervention with the motor assessment scale (MAS) and two-point discrimination (2PD). The correlation between left/right judgement and the change of effect measured on the MAS and 2PD were tested by Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: The ability to perform left/right judgement before the onset of MT had no significant correlation with change of effect measured on the MAS and 2PD (rho −0.169, p = 0.363 and rho = −0.227, p = 0.219). Thirty-one patients completed the intervention without adverse effects. Conclusion: Left/right judgement does not influence the effect of MT. There seems to be no reason to test the ability to perform left/right judgement before the onset of MT. MT is an intervention without major adverse effects.Implications for RehabilitationMirror therapy (MT) is a method for treating sensory and motor disturbances post-stroke.It is important to clarify whether the ability to perform left/right judgement influences the effect of MT.In this study, left/right judgement does not influence the effect of MT.Based on the results of this study, testing and training left/right judgement before commencing MT cannot be recommended.