Effects of visual-motor illusions with different visual stimuli on the sit-to-stand of people with hemiplegia following stroke: A randomized crossover controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different visual stimuli during visual-motor illusion on sit-to-stand in people with hemiplegia following stroke. METHODS: This was a randomized crossover controlled trial. Twenty people with hemiplegia following stroke were randomly divided into groups. The video images used for visual-motor illusion were ankle dorsiflexion without resistance (standard visual-motor illusion [standard illusion]) and maximum effort dorsiflexion with resistance (power visual-motor illusion [power illusion]). People with hemiplegia following stroke underwent both illusion interventions with a 1-week washout period in between; group A started with the standard illusion intervention and group B started with the power illusion intervention. Outcomes included the sit-to-stand duration, maximum weight-bearing value, trunk movement during sit-to-stand, ankle joint movement during sit-to-stand, and active ankle dorsiflexion movement on the paralyzed side. RESULTS: The angular velocity of the trunk and ankle joints increased significantly during sit-to-stand, and sit-to-stand duration decreased significantly in response only to power illusion. In addition, the change in angular velocity of active ankle dorsiflexion was significantly greater in response to power illusion than was the change in response to standard illusion. CONCLUSION: Power illusion induces a greater improvement in paralyzed ankle dorsiflexion function than standard illusion, resulting in shorter sit-to-stand duration.

Effects and Adaptation of Visual-Motor Illusion Using Different Visual Stimuli on Improving Ankle Joint Paralysis of Stroke Survivors-A Randomized Crossover Controlled Trial.

Visual-motor illusion (VMI) is an intervention to induce kinesthetic sensation from visual stimuli. We aimed to compare the effects of VMI of different visual stimuli on the paralyzed side ankle joint of stroke hemiplegic patients (hemiplegic patients) and to clarify their indication. We applied two types of VMI images of ankle dorsiflexion: ankle dorsiflexion without resistance (standard VMI (S-VMI)) and maximum effort dorsiflexion with resistance (power VMI (P-VMI)). Twenty-two hemiplegic patients were divided into two groups: Group A, which received S-VMI first and P-VMI one week later (n = 11), and Group B, which received P-VMI first and S-VMI one week later (n = 11). Immediate effects were evaluated. Outcomes were the dorsiflexion angle and angular velocity, degree of sense of agency (SoA), and sense of ownership. Patient's characteristics of cognitive flexibility were assessed using the Trail making test-B (TMT-B). Fugl-Meyer assessment and the Composite-Spasticity-Scale were also assessed. P-VMI was significantly higher than S-VMI in SoA and dorsiflexion angular velocity. Additionally, the degree of improvement in dorsiflexion function with P-VMI was related to TMT-B and degree of muscle tone. Therefore, P-VMI improves ankle function in hemiplegic patients more than S-VMI but should be performed with cognitive flexibility and degree of muscle tone in mind.