Rassafiani M, Al-Fraij A, Al-Mahri A, Manee F. The Effectiveness of Mirror Therapy on Upper Limb Function in Stroke Patients: A Single Case Experimental Design. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal 2019; 17 (3) :285-292
URL:
http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-979-en.html
1- Occupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health, Kuwait University, Kuwait.; Occupational Therapy Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
2- Occupational Therapy Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
3- Occupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Abstract: (4244 Views)
Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of mirror therapy (MT) on upper limb (UL) function of sub-acute stroke patients.
Methods: This study is a single case experimental design with two participants. Twenty minutes of MT were implemented four times a week over a period of four weeks. For baseline phase, repeated measurements were performed six times for one participant and four times for the other participant using Fugl-Meyer Motor Function Assessment (FMA), and it was applied twice a week during the intervention phase. Brunnstrom Recovery Stages (BRS) and Barthel Index (BI) were applied once before the baseline phase, as well as prior and after the intervention phase.
Results: Based on percentage of non-overlapping data (PND) for FMA subtests, MT had questionable effectiveness on UL for both participants, and MT was unreliable intervention on wrist function. For the hand, of the second participant, MT had questionable effectiveness, whereas for the first participant it was unreliable intervention. For coordination, MT was fairly effective for the first participant and had questionable effectiveness for the second participant. BRS-Arm scores indicated improvements for the second participant from 3 (out of 6) to 4. BRS-Hand scores indicated improvements for the first participant from 5 (out of 6) to 6. No changes were shown in BI.
Discussion: This study revealed that MT had positive effects on some sections of UL motor function and coordination, whereas no change in wrist motor function was observed. No functional improvements in BI and slight difference in BRS were noticed.
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Highlights
● Mirror therapy is an easy to apply and low cost of intervention method.
● Proximal section of the upper limb responded to four weeks of Mirror therapy better than distal section.
● Mirror therapy improved upper limb coordination.
● Mirror therapy was not influential on functional skills of participants within four weeks of intervention.
Plain Language Summary
Mirror therapy is an easy to applied intervention for people with stroke. Therapists can apply this intervention with low cost. Only a mirror with an experienced therapist is required to apply this therapy in a clinic and at home. Mirror therapy applied for two people with stroke for four weeks. The results of the study showed that the movements in elbow was improved, but not for the wrist and finger. Also it helped to improved upper limb coordination. However, participants’ daily activities were not improved. Further research is necessary to understand if this therapy can be more effective on daily activities if we increase the duration.
Article type:
Brief Report |
Subject:
Occupational therapy Received: 2019/01/10 | Accepted: 2019/04/13 | Published: 2019/09/1
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