Comparison of Mirror Therapy and Action Observation Therapy on Upper Limb Sensory Motor Recovery and Quality of Life in Subacute Stroke Patients
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 56
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Change in Upper Limb Motor Function as Measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment
研究概览
简要总结
This clinical study is being conducted to compare the effects of two different rehabilitation techniques-Mirror Therapy and Action Observation Therapy (AOT)-on improving upper limb movement and quality of life in individuals who have recently experienced a stroke. Stroke survivors often face weakness and coordination problems in their arms and hands. Helping them regain motor function is crucial for performing everyday tasks like dressing, eating, and writing.
Mirror Therapy works by having patients perform movements while watching the reflection of their unaffected limb in a mirror, tricking the brain into believing both limbs are working. This may help activate brain regions responsible for motor control.
Action Observation Therapy, on the other hand, involves patients watching videos of someone else performing arm and hand movements. After observing, patients try to mimic the actions themselves. This method is based on the theory that watching and imitating movements can enhance brain recovery.
In this study, patients will be randomly assigned to either the Mirror Therapy group or the Action Observation Therapy group. Both groups will receive therapy over several weeks, along with routine stroke rehabilitation care. Researchers will assess each patient's progress using standard tools to measure arm strength, hand coordination, and overall quality of life.
This study aims to find out which therapy leads to better recovery and could become a recommended part of post-stroke rehabilitation programs.
详细描述
Background Stroke is a major cause of adult disability worldwide. One of the most disabling consequences is upper limb impairment, which reduces independence and daily functioning. Although traditional rehabilitation helps, recovery is often incomplete. Therefore, innovative, neuroplasticity-driven therapies like Mirror Therapy (MT) and Action Observation Therapy (AOT) are gaining interest.
MT relies on visual feedback from a mirror to create an illusion of movement in the affected limb, activating motor cortical areas. AOT involves observing purposeful movement followed by imitation, leveraging the brain's mirror neuron system to promote recovery.
While both therapies have shown individual effectiveness, few studies have directly compared them in subacute stroke-a critical recovery window. This study aims to address that gap, offering evidence to inform clinical practice.
Objectives
Primary Objective:
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 45 Years 至 65 Years（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Age between 45 and 65 years (Tsai et al., 2012).
- •Gender as either male or female (Tsai et al., 2012).
- •Only subacute stroke patients will be included (Uyttenboogaart et al., 2005).
- •A baseline Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score between 20 and 60 for upper limb motor function (Fugl-Meyer et al., 1975).
- •The ability to follow study instructions, assessed using the Taiwan version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (Tsai et al., 2012), with scores below 26 indicating cognitive impairment, as patients scoring around 60 are considered to have near-normal cognitive function.
- •The capability to participate in therapy and assessment sessions (Wang et al., 2011).
- •Patient who have 1st onset of stroke ( 1st time stroke) (Hsieh et al., 2009).
排除标准
- •Participants having hamonomus hemianopia (Tsai et al., 2012).
- •Other neurological conditions for example, parkinsons, alzehmiers, ADHD, autism, etc (Tsai et al., 2012).
- •Participants having recurrent stroke history (Wang et al., 2011).
- •Global or receptive aphasia (Banks and Marotta, 2007).
- •Severe neglect (Duncan et al., 2003).
- •Major medical problems or comorbidities that influenced UE usage or cause severe pain (Hsieh et al., 2009).
研究组 & 干预措施
Mirror Therapy for Upper Limb Rehabilitation
Participants in this arm will undergo Mirror Therapy sessions targeting the affected upper limb. A mirror will be positioned along the patient's midline, reflecting movements of the non-paretic limb, creating the illusion of movement in the affected limb. Patients will perform bilateral symmetrical movements while observing the mirrored reflection for 30 minutes per session, 5 days per week, over a 6-week period. Standard stroke rehabilitation exercises will also be provided.
干预措施: Mirror Therapy (Behavioral)
Action Observation Therapy for Upper Limb Rehabilitation
Participants in this arm will receive Action Observation Therapy involving the observation of video clips demonstrating functional upper limb tasks, followed by physical practice of the same movements. Each session will consist of 15 minutes of video observation and 15 minutes of task execution, conducted 5 days per week for 6 weeks. This intervention will be supplemented by routine post-stroke rehabilitation exercises.
干预措施: Action Observation Therapy (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Change in Upper Limb Motor Function as Measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment
时间窗: Baseline, Week 3 (Mid-intervention), and Week 6 (Post-intervention)
The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity is a standardized, stroke-specific performance-based measure that evaluates motor functioning, balance, and joint coordination. The upper limb subscale (score range: 0-66) assesses voluntary movement, reflex activity, and coordination of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. A higher score indicates better motor function and recovery. This tool has strong psychometric properties and is widely used in stroke rehabilitation research to detect motor improvements over time.
次要结局
- Change in Health-Related Quality of Life (Stroke Impact Scale - Version 3.0)(Baseline, Week 3, and Week 6)
- Change in Stroke-Related Disability (Modified Rankin Scale)(Baseline, Week 3, and Week 6)
- Change in Health-Related Quality of Life (Stroke Impact Scale - Version 3.0)(Baseline, Week 3, and Week 6)
研究者
Komal Mushtaq
Student
University of Lahore