COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF MIRROR THERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT ELECTROMYOGRAPHY BIOFEEDBACK IN IMPROVING SUPINATION AND HAND FUNCTION OF STROKE PATIENTS A RANDOMISED CLINICAL TRIAL

THESIS TOPIC: Comparative Efficacy of Mirror Therapy with or without Electromyography-Biofeedback in Improving Supination and Hand Function of Stroke Patients – A Randomised Clinical Trial. 2. SUMMARY: One of the post-stroke impacts found among the patients is the motor impairment of hand. Loss of supination and proper hand function following the stroke is frequent. This is one of the most challenging conditions that a patient may face. It may lead to poor quality of life. Mirror Therapy helps to enhance the functioning of upper limb in hemiplegic patients. EMG- Biofeedback also helps to recover upper extremity function following stroke. Hence this study will try to find out the comparative efficacy of Mirror Therapy with or without ElectromyographyBiofeedback in improving the supination and hand function in patients with stroke. 3. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of the study is to find out the effect of Mirror Therapy with or without EMG-Biofeedback in improving the supination and hand function in stroke patients. 4. OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the efficacy of Mirror Therapy with or without EMG-Biofeedback in improving supination and hand function of stroke patients and to compare the effects between them. 5. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 Patients with stroke will be chosen based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Convenient sampling will be done and patients will be allocated into two groups to find out the effects of Mirror Therapy with or without EMG-Biofeedback in improving supination and hand function in upper limb of stroke patients. Group A will be treated with Mirror Therapy for 20 minutes a day, 5 days per week for 3 weeks and EMG-Biofeedback for additional 30 minutes, 10 minutes each muscle of Supinator and Extensor Carpi Radialis and Extensor carpi ulnaris muscle for 5 days per week for 3 weeks. Group B will be treated only with mirror therapy for 20 minutes 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Pre-intervention data will be collected before the commencement of the study. After 3 weeks of study, postintervention data will be collected. Pre- and post- intervention data will be analyzed by using proper statistical tools