title: Effects of motor imagery training on balance and gait abilities in post-stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of motor imagery training on the balance and gait abilities of post-stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient rehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight individuals with chronic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group (n = 15) performed motor imagery training involving imagining normal gait movement for 15 minutes embedded in gait training for 30 minutes (45 minutes/day, 3 times/week); the control group (n = 13) performed gait training only (30 minutes/day, 3 times/week).
  
  
  METHODS
  Balance and gait abilities were measured by the Functional Reach Test, Timed Up-and-Go Test, 10-m Walk Test and Fugl-Meyer assessment before and after interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All measurements improved significantly compared with baseline values in the experimental group. In the control group, there were significant improvements in all parameters except the Fugl-Meyer assessment. All parameters of the experimental group increased significantly compared to those of the control group as follows: Functional Reach Test (control vs. experimental: 28.1 ± 3.1 vs. 37.51 ± 3.0), Timed Up-and-Go Test (20.7 ± 4.0 vs. 13.2 ± 2.2), 10-m Walk Test (17.4 ± 4.6 vs. 16.0 ± 2.7) and Fugl-Meyer assessment (12.0 ± 2.9 vs. 17.6 ± 1.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gait training with motor imagery training improves the balance and gait abilities of chronic stroke patients significantly better than gait training alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Korea University, College of Health Science, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hwi-young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: June-sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyu-Chang
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Stroke; balance; gait; motor imagery