[Mental gait training -- effectiveness of a therapy method in the rehabilitation after hip-replacement]

New neurophysiological findings cover the effectiveness of movement images to the movement learning and deliver the theoretical base for the reasonable application of mental training forms in orthopaedic rehabilitation. In support of the mental training set-up in the high-performance sport, suitable movement images are developed and trained systematically in the mental gait training. The present study examines the question of the effectiveness of mental gait training.

A randomised control group study [experimental group: mental walking training; control group: no treatment (treatment additional to the customary physiotherapy)] with measuring repetition was carried out. With 24 patients after total hip replacement surgery the relevant kinematic data were collected by applying the procedure SIMI Motion to the walking movement.

The experimental group improved in comparison to the control group in the variable stride length, as well as in the factor variable kinematics significantly.

It can be stated that this study gives further proof for the reasonable application of mental training forms in rehabilitation. Further studies on the application of mental training forms to the movement learning (concerning different movements and further syndromes) must follow to provide further support of the effective and efficient application of these procedures within the context of rehabilitation.