title: Mirror therapy enhances motor performance in the paretic upper limb after stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of mirror therapy (MT) combined with bilateral arm training and graded activities to improve motor performance in the paretic upper limb after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient stroke rehabilitation center of a tertiary care teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with first-time ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (N=20), confined to the territory of the middle cerebral artery, occurring <6 months before the commencement of the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MT and control group participants underwent a patient-specific multidisciplinary rehabilitation program including conventional occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy for 5 d/wk, 6 h/d, over 3 weeks. The participants in the MT group received 1 hour of MT in addition to the conventional stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment for motor recovery, Brunnstrom stages of motor recovery for the arm and hand, Box and Block Test for gross manual hand dexterity, and modified Ashworth scale to assess the spasticity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 weeks of MT, mean change scores were significantly greater in the MT group than in the control group for the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (P=.008), Brunnstrom stages of motor recovery for the arm (P=.003) and hand (P=.003), and the Box and Block Test (P=.022). No significant difference was found between the groups for modified Ashworth scale (P=.647).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MT when combined with bilateral arm training and graded activities was effective in improving motor performance of the paretic upper limb after stroke compared with conventional therapy without MT.
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: stopatsams@rediffmail.com.
authors: Selvaraj
authors: S
authors: Samuelkamaleshkumar
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Reethajanetsureka
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Pauljebaraj
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Bright
authors: B
authors: Benshamir
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Sanjeev Manasseh
authors: SM
authors: Padankatti
authors: Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Judy Ann
authors: JA
authors: David
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Rehabilitation; Stroke