Home-based action observation training improves walking performance, balance, and lower limb motor function in...

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Motor recovery science
• Clinical physiotherapy research

Background:

• Stroke frequently results in impaired gait, balance, and motor functions.
• Action Observation Training (AOT) leverages the mirror neuron system through movement observation to potentially improve motor recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a home-based AOT (HB-AOT) program, integrated with standard physiotherapy, for enhancing walking, balance, and lower limb motor function in chronic stroke survivors.
• To compare the outcomes of HB-AOT plus physiotherapy against conventional physiotherapy alone.

Main Methods:

• Thirty individuals with chronic stroke were randomized into either an HB-AOT group or a control group.
• The HB-AOT group underwent 8 weeks of thrice-weekly individualized HB-AOT sessions alongside conventional physiotherapy.
• Assessments included the 2-Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment - Lower Extremity (FMA-LE), with gait speed derived from the 2-Minute Walk Test.

Main Results:

• Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in gait speed, BBS, and FMA-LE scores post-intervention.
• The HB-AOT group exhibited statistically superior gains in gait speed, BBS, and FMA-LE scores compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Individualized HB-AOT, when added to conventional therapy, shows promise for improving walking, balance, and lower limb motor function in chronic stroke.
• This integrated approach may serve as a valuable complementary rehabilitation strategy for stroke recovery.