title: The effects of very early mirror therapy on functional improvement of the upper extremity in acute stroke patients.
abstract: [Purpose] The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a very early mirror therapy program on functional improvement of the upper extremity in acute stroke patients. [Subjects] Eight stroke patients who were treated in an acute neurology unit were included in the study. [Methods] The patients were assigned alternatively to either the mirror therapy group receiving mirror therapy and neurodevelopmental treatment or the neurodevelopmental treatment only group. The primary outcome measures were the upper extremity motor subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Motricity Index upper extremity score, and the Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale. Somatosensory assessment with the Ayres Southern California Sensory Integration Test, and the Barthel Index were used as secondary outcome measures. [Results] No statistically significant improvements were found for any measures in either group after the treatment. In terms of minimally clinically important differences, there were improvements in Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Barthel Index in both mirror therapy and neurodevelopmental treatment groups. [Conclusion] The results of this pilot study revealed that very early mirror therapy has no additional effect on functional improvement of upper extremity function in acute stroke patients. Multicenter trials are needed to determine the results of early application of mirror therapy in stroke rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ipek
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yeldan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu Ersoz
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Huseyınsınoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Biruni University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Buket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akıncı
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarakcı
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Neurologic and Psychiatric Diseases, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baybas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Arzu Razak
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ozdıncler
keywords: Acute stroke; Mirror therapy; Upper extremity