Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Robotic Mirror Therapy System for Functional Recovery of Hemiplegic Arms
Published on: August 15, 2016
Effects of mirror feedback on upright stance control in elderly transfemoral amputees
Petra Hlavackova1, Julien Fristios, Rémy Cuisinier
1TIMC-IMAG Laboratory UMR UJF CNRS 5525, University J. Fourier of Grenoble, LaTronche, France.
Objective:
To investigate the effects of mirror feedback on upright stance control in elderly transfemoral amputees.
Design:
Before and after intervention trials.
Setting:
University medical bioengineering laboratory.
Participants:
Elderly transfemoral amputees (N=12).
Interventions:
Participants were asked to stand upright, as immobile as possible, in 2 Eyes-open and Mirror-feedback experimental conditions. The latter experimental condition consisted of supplying the participants with their frontal reflection by positioning a mirror in front of them.
Main Outcome Measures:
Weight-bearing symmetry and the displacements of the center of foot pressure under the nonaffected limb and the prosthetic limb.
Results:
Mirror feedback did not modify weight-bearing symmetry and had different effects on the center of foot pressure displacements under the nonaffected limb and prosthetic limb: a decreased center of foot pressure surface area was observed in the Mirror-feedback condition relative to the Eyes-open condition under the nonaffected limb, whereas no significant difference between the Eyes-open condition and the Mirror-feedback condition was observed under the prosthetic limb.
Conclusions:
Results suggest that elderly transfemoral amputees were able to integrate augmented visual biofeedback through the use of mirror-reflected body image to improve their upright stance control. The present findings could have implications for clinical practice and rehabilitation.
