Effect of mirror therapy on upper extremity motor function in stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.
Nigar Gurbuz, Sevgi Ikbali Afsar, Sehri Ayaş and 1 others
PMID 27799679WHAT IT FOUND
Mirror therapy added to conventional stroke rehabilitation improved upper extremity movement ability more than the conventional program with a non-reflecting mirror, but did not improve Brunnstrom stages or self-care independence.
Key findings
01The mirror group, which received mirror therapy in addition to conventional rehabilitation, had a higher post-treatment Fugl-Meyer upper extremity score than the conventional group.
02There was no significant between-group difference in upper extremity or hand Brunnstrom stages after treatment.
03There was no significant between-group difference in post-treatment FIM self-care scores, although both groups improved from baseline.
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
The study included 31 patients, so the sample was small. Patients were within 6 months after stroke, and improvement in both groups may reflect natural recovery. The trial had no long-term follow-up. No imaging was performed to show brain reorganization. The authors noted that the vast majority of patients were Brunnstrom stage I or II. All patients received conventional rehabilitation containing neurodevelopmental facilitation, range of motion, strengthening, and occupational therapy, so the study cannot separate the contribution of those components. The Fugl-Meyer difference between groups was significant at p=0.047, while Brunnstrom stages and self-care showed no between-group difference.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher Fugl-Meyer score as proof of better daily function. Brunnstrom stages and FIM self-care scores did not differ between groups, and both groups received conventional rehabilitation with neurodevelopmental facilitation, range of motion, strengthening, and occupational therapy.