Mirror box therapy may benefit you if you have moderate or severe upper limb paresis. Mirror therapy in unilateral neglect after stroke must. Practical protocol mirror therapy phantom limb pain. It can also be given by a family caregiver or be selfadministered following a brief explanation of how to do it and after receiving tools to do the therapy at home user guide, written explanations, photos or videos of the movements to be done. Pdf practical protocol mirror therapy phantom limb pain. Mirror therapy, stroke, hemiparesis, visual feedback, functionality 1. Mirror therapy is especially useful for people who have very little movement of their arm and hand after a stroke. There is some encouraging evidence that suggests that by using mirror therapy, the part of your brain that is damaged is stimulated, encouraging recovery. Overall, the majority of studies done thus far on patients with hemiparesis in the subacute or chronic phase following stroke find mirror therapy to be more beneficial than control treatments. The sooner after a stroke event a survivor begins mirror therapy or visualization, the quicker they are able to begin reaping the benefits. Even when mirror therapy is not superior to control therapy. Mirror therapy in unilateral neglect after stroke must trial. Wadee,h the objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical aspects of mirror therapy mt interventions after stroke.
It can also be given by a family caregiver or be selfadministered following a brief explanation of how to do it and after receiving tools to do the therapy. Every year, 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke. Mirror therapy is an effective stroke rehabilitation intervention for upper extremity hemiparesis. Overall, mirror therapy is a promising stroke rehabilitation method for stroke patients especially those with hand or arm paralysis. Mirror therapy practical protocol for stroke rehabilitation andreas rothgangel susy braun prot ocol. To investigate the effect of mirror therapy containing functional tasks on upper extremity function and activities of daily living in patients with subacute stroke.
For patients with a complex regional pain syndrome following stroke, mirror therapy seems to be an effective intervention, both for improving motor function and reducing pain. The results indicate evidence for the effectiveness of mirror therapy for improving upper extremity motor function, motor impairment, activities of daily living, and pain, at least as an adjunct to conventional rehabilitation for people after stroke. During mirror box therapy, people place their affected arm inside a box, where they are unable to see it. Mirror therapy in stroke rehabilitation request pdf. Furthermore, mirror therapy may improve activities of daily living, but the results must be interpreted with caution because they are based on only four studies. Types of mirror therapy exercises for stroke patients. European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 493. Mirror therapy in pos stroke individuals full text view. Physiotherapy management of complex regional pain syndrome. The research on how well this intervention works is still quite new.
Mirror box therapy exercises for stroke recovery saebo. Every stroke is different, and while mirror therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for stroke related motor impairments, it isnt necessarily right for everyone. Virtual reality mirror therapy for stroke full text view. Mirror therapy in stroke patients involves performing movements of the unimpaired limb while watching its mirror reflection superimposed over the unseen impaired limb, thus. Recovery in the severely impaired arm post stroke after mirror therapy. Introduction stroke is defined as a focal and acute neurological deficit, lasting more than 24 hours, due to a vascular injury. Mirror therapy was studied in the time shortly after stroke and up to 6 months later, for. Mirror therapy requires specific physical and cognitive capabilities, which can make it inappropriate for some patients. Effects of mirror therapy on the lower limb functionality. Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with stroke.
It is suitable to treat conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome crps, phantom limb pain, stroke. How to implement mirror therapy treatment materials. Mirror therapy is often given by occupational therapists and physiotherapists but any health professional can administer it. Mirror therapy for improving movement after stroke cochrane. Mirror therapy for improving motor function after stroke. Results for mirror therapy stroke 1 10 of 279 sorted by relevance date. We included stroke patients with thalamic and parietal lobe lesions with unilateral neglect 48 hours after stroke. The mirror therapy program enhances upper limb motor recovery and motor function in acute stroke patients. Touchobservation and taskbased mirror therapy is an effective but lowcost treatment protocol to optimize sensorimotor control and functional capability of the upper limb in. Different types of mirror therapy stroke exercises can be used depending on what the aim of the mirror therapy is. This is a randomized uncontrolled blinded study, with 27 individuals in the chronic phase of stroke. Preface the main reason to develop a practicebased protocol was because mirror therapy is still inconsistently used in clinical situations and many physical and occupational therapists expressed a.
Mirror therapy, or mirror box therapy, is a physiotherapyphysical therapy and occupational therapy technique used to help increase movement and. This is an open, blinded endpoint, randomized controlled trial carried out from january 2011 to august 20. Like all medical treatments, not everyone in the study benefited from mirror therapy, but the study results suggest that many patients may effectively selfdeliver mirror therapy at home with a simple mirror. The effectiveness of mirror therapy with stroke patients. Using movements of the stronger body part to trick our brain into thinking that the weaker body part is moving. Preface the main reason to develop a practicebased protocol was because mirror therapy is still inconsistently used in clinical situations and many physical and occupational therapists expressed a strong need for some form of guidance to structure.
Treatment protocols and techniques for mirror therapy are hard to come by, but as seen by the evidence presented above, mirror therapy appears to be the most effective when used in combination with traditional stroke. There is some encouraging evidence that suggests that by using mirror therapy. The first version of this protocol for mirror therapy was developed by andreas rothgangel and susy braun together with students of. Efficacy of mirror therapy containing functional tasks in. Mirror therapy in complex regional pain syndrome type 1 of.
Mirror box therapy is a treatment option that has shown promise for people with difficulty moving their arm after a brain injury, such as stroke. Mirror therapy box flat work surface functional objects i. Mirror therapy practical protocol for stroke rehabilitation 20 1. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. For patients with a complex regional pain syndrome following stroke, mirror therapy. Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with. Mirror therapy mirror therapy aims to create an illusion of normality in the affected limb. There is moderate evidence that mirror therapy is as. It works by tricking the brain into thinking that youre moving your affected side, even though its just a reflection. We explored the effectiveness of mirror therapy mt in the treatment of unilateral neglect in stroke patients. To evaluate the benefits of mirror therapy mt and motivation in patients with different levels of post stroke motor impairment with two different therapy protocols.