The efficacy of mirror therapy combined with conventional stroke rehabilitation program on motor and functional recovery

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: A variety of methods is used in the treatment of upper extremity functional impairment after stroke.In recent years, a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of stroke rehabilitation is the mirror therapy.The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of mirror therapy,which is applied through motor imagination training, combined with conventional stroke rehabilitation program on upper extremity motor and functional recovery in patients with subacute stroke. MATERIAL and METHODS: This is a randomized,prospective,controlled single-blind trial.The study included 20 patients who were diagnosed with stroke.Patients were randomly divided into two groups:first group received conventional rehabilitation program and the second group received conventional rehabilitation program plus mirror therapy on nonparetic upper extremity consisting of wrist extension daily 4 times for 15minutes per session. Both groups received the conventional rehabilitation program for 4 weeks, 5 days a week and daily 1-2h. All patients were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the treatment(week 4).The evaluations were performed by using Brunnstrom Staging, Fugl Meyer Motor Function Scale(FM),Barthel Index(BI) and goniometric measurement of wrist extension. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yazisma Adresi: Yrd. Doc. Dr. Merih OZGEN Eskisehir Osmangazi Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Fiziksel Tip ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dali, Eskisehir Tel: 0222-2392979/2455 E-posta: merihsarhus@hotmail.com Gelis Tarihi: 15.08.2012 Kabul Tarihi: 03.09.2012 Received: 15.08.2012 Accepted: 03.09.2012 VI. Ulusal Beyin Damar Hastaliklari Kongresi’nde sozel bildiri olarak sunulmustur. Bu makale su sekilde atif edilmelidir: Kuzgun S, Ozgen M, Armagan O, Tascioglu F, Baydemir C. Inme rehabilitasyon programi ile kombine edilen ayna tedavisinin motor ve fonksiyonel iyilesme uzerine etkinliginin arastirilmasi. Turk Beyin Damar Hastaliklari Dergisi 2012; 18 (3): 77-82.