Effect of Mirror Therapy on Recovery of Upper Limb Function and Strength in Subacute Hemiplegia after Stroke.

, Seok, Hyun; , Kim, Sang Hyun; , Jang, Yi Wook; , Lee, Jang Bok; , Kim, Sun Woo

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2010;34(5):508-512.

Seok, Hyun , Kim, Sang Hyun , Jang, Yi Wook , Lee, Jang Bok , Kim, Sun Woo

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Korea. pmrdoc813@gmail.com

뇌졸중 후 편마비에서 상지 기능과 근력 회복에 대한 거울치료의 효과

석 현, 김상현, 장이욱, 이장복, 김선우

순천향대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실

Abstract

Objective
To investigate the effect of mirror therapy on recovery of upper limb function and strength in subacute hemiplegia after stroke.
Method
Fourty subacute hemiplegic stroke patients (onset ＜6 months) were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the mirror therapy (MT, n=19), or control group (n=21). MT group received mirror therapy for 30 minutes after each treatment, additionally with the traditional rehabilitation programs, 5 days per week for 4 weeks; 2 hours or more per day, 3 days or more per week. To measure the outcome, we performed the manual muscle test (MMT), manual function test (MFT) and Jarmar grip strength test.
Results
MT group showed significant improvements in MMT, grasp and lateral pinch force of grip strength test (p＜0.05), compared to control group. Improvement in MFT was more evident in MT group (p＜0.05).
Conclusion
Mirror therapy can be used as an adjuvant therapeutic technique for improving upper limb function and strength for subacute hemiplegia. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2010; 34: 508-512)

Key Words: Mirror therapy, Stroke, Upper limb function, Muscle strength