title: A Mirror Therapy-Based Action Observation Protocol to Improve Motor Learning After Stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mirror therapy is a priming technique to improve motor function of the affected arm after stroke.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a mirror therapy-based action observation (AO) protocol contributes to motor learning of the affected arm after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 37 participants in the chronic stage after stroke were randomly allocated to the AO or control observation (CO) group. Participants were instructed to perform an upper-arm reaching task as fast and as fluently as possible. All participants trained the upper-arm reaching task with their affected arm alternated with either AO or CO. Participants in the AO group observed mirrored video tapes of reaching movements performed by their unaffected arm, whereas participants in the CO group observed static photographs of landscapes. The experimental condition effect was investigated by evaluating the primary outcome measure: movement time (in seconds) of the reaching movement, measured by accelerometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Movement time decreased significantly in both groups: 18.3% in the AO and 9.1% in the CO group. Decrease in movement time was significantly more in the AO compared with the CO group (mean difference = 0.14 s; 95% confidence interval = 0.02, 0.26; P = .026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that a mirror therapy-based AO protocol contributes to motor learning after stroke.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Rijndam Rehabilitation Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands w.harmsen@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Wouter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Harmsen
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes B J
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bussmann
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Erasmus MC, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Selles
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henri L P
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hurkmans
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Rijndam Rehabilitation Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ribbers
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: action observation; mirror therapy; motor learning; rehabilitation; stroke; upper limbs