The effect of mirror therapy combined with motor imagery therapy on lower extremity motor function and balance early after ischemic stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of the mirror therapy (MT) combined with motor imagery therapy (MIT) on the lower limb motor performance,balance and ability in the activities of daily living of ischemic stroke patients soon after a stroke.Methods Forty hospitalized ischemic stroke patients were randomly allocated to an MT+MIT group (n=20) or an MIT only group (n=20).In addition to routine rehabilitation,the MIT group exercised practicing knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion 30 minutes a day,five days a week for 8 weeks following motor imagery therapy protocols,while the MT+MIT group accepted MIT combined with mirror therapy.The Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMALE),Berg Balance scores (BBSs) and the Modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to evaluate the effects of the treatment before the treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy.Results Before the intervention there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their average FMA,BBS and MBI ratings.After 4 weeks of treatment a significant improvement was observed in the MT+MIT group's average FMA-LE and BBS scores and in the flat walking component of the MBI.In the MIT group only the average bed/wheelchair transfer and flat walking scores in the MBI were significantly improved.After 8 weeks the MT+MIT group's average FMA-LE and BBS scores had improved significantly,along with its average scores in the feeding,dressing,grooming,bathing,urination,bed/wheelchair transfer,walking up and down stairs and flat walking components of the MBI.In the MIT group the average FMA-LE and BBS scores had improved significantly,along with those for bed/wheelchair transfer,walking up and down stairs and flat walking in the MBI.After both 4 and 8 weeks,the MT+MIT group's average scores were consistently significantly better than those of the MT group.Conclusion Mirror therapy can significantly enhance the effectiveness of motor imagery therapy when they are combined in the rehabilitation of ischemic stroke patients in the early post-stroke stage.