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Updated: May 10, 2025
Robotic Mirror Therapy System for Functional Recovery of Hemiplegic Arms
Published on: August 15, 2016
Effects of Mirror Visual Observation Priming on Upper Extremity Motor Recovery After Stroke: A Pilot Randomized
Jinyang Zhuang1, Jiali Lin2, Qinying Li3
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
Objective:
To investigate the priming effects of mirror visual observation (MVO) on upper extremity (UE) motor recover after stroke.
Design:
Randomized, controlled, observer-blinded study.
Setting:
Rehabilitation Medicine Department in Tertiary Hospital.
Participants:
Twenty individuals (N=20) with first unilateral stroke within 1 week to 6 months.
Interventions:
Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: the experimental group (EG) receiving MVO with task-oriented training (MVO+TOT); and the control group (CG) receiving sham MVO+TOT. The intervention consisted of 30 minutes of MVO or sham MVO, a 10-minute break, and 30 minutes of TOT daily, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks.
Main Outcome Measures:
The primary outcome was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity Motor Function Subscale (FMA_UE). The change of FMA_UE (ΔFMA_UE) before and after the intervention was assessed for clinical significance. The secondary outcomes included grip strength, the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI).
Results:
All patients completed the trial without adverse reactions. The EG had a better treatment experience than the CG. Both groups showed improvements in FMA_UE, grip strength, ARAT, and MBI scores from baseline (P<.05 for all). Postintervention, there were no differences between the groups in grip strength, ARAT, and MBI scores (P>.05 for all). However, the EG showed a better improvement in FMA_UE scores compared with the CG (P=.044). The ΔFMA_UE of both groups surpassed the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The average ΔFMA_UE difference between the groups was 10.80 (95% CI, 6.31-15.29), exceeding the MCID with statistical significance (P<.001).
Conclusions:
MVO demonstrates a priming effect that enhances the recovery of UE motor impairments poststroke with clinical significance.
