Effect of Action Observation Therapy in the Rehabilitation of Neurologic and Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review.
Deirdre Ryan, Brona Fullen, Ebonie Rio and 3 others
PMID 33778479WHAT IT FOUND
Action Observation Therapy improves motor recovery in stroke and Parkinson's disease, with strong evidence for upper limb function and balance.
It shows moderate benefit for orthopedic pain and range of motion. However, it does not help children with cerebral palsy or improve cognition in dementia.
Key findings
01Strong evidence supports Action Observation Therapy for improving upper limb function, manual dexterity, and walking ability in patients with stroke.
02Strong evidence supports Action Observation Therapy for improving balance, freezing of gait, and disease-specific health in patients with Parkinson's disease.
03Evidence does not support Action Observation Therapy for improving upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy or cognitive function in dementia.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Many included studies had a high or uncertain risk of bias, particularly in the measurement of outcomes. Intervention parameters varied widely (10-60 minute sessions, 8 days to 12 weeks), making it impossible to recommend a specific optimal dose. The review was limited to English-language studies published between 2008 and 2020, potentially introducing selection bias. Sample sizes in individual studies were often small, and some meta-analyses showed non-significant results despite clinical relevance.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume Action Observation Therapy works for all neurologic populations. The review found no evidence of benefit for upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy or for cognitive outcomes in dementia, suggesting that motor learning mechanisms may differ in these groups.