Kinematic analysis of head, trunk, and pelvic motion during mirror therapy for stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate mirror therapy (MT) condition by analyzing kinematic parameters according to mirror size and angle. [Subjects and Methods] Three hemiparesis stroke patients and five healthy adults participated in this cross-sectional study. Kinematic parameters during the MT were collected over a total of 5 trials for each subject (3 mirror angles × 3 mirror sizes). Center of pressure (COP) excursion data was collected by force plate, and other kinematic parameters by infra-red cameras. [Results] The larger the size and smaller the angle, the overall dependent variables decreased in all participants. Particularly, when virtual reality reflection equipment (VRRE) was used, the value of the flexion and the lateral tilt was the closest to the midline compared to all other independent variables. Moreover, it showed tendency of moving towards the affected side. Based on the results, MT for stroke patients has a disadvantage of shifting weight and leaning towards the unaffected side during therapy. [Conclusion] Therefore, it seems to be more effective in terms of clinics to apply VRRE to make up for the weak parts and provide more elaborate visual feedback.