Effect of Task-Oriented Mental Practice and Motor Relearning Program in enhancing upper limb function and daily living activities among individual with stroke: A comparative study

Stroke commonly leads to upper limb impairment, reducing independence in daily activities and quality of life. Task Oriented Mental Practice improves motor skills by combining mental imagery of movements with actual physical practice. This helps stimulate neuroplasticity, leading to stronger cortical changes and better motor learning. The Motor Relearning Program focuses on practicing controlled muscle actions and improving movement components. It is based on the brain’s ability to reorganize and adapt, aiming to stimulate or optimize this capacity to enhance motor recovery. While both TOMP and MRP have been individually proven to be effective in improving upper limb function and enhancing activities of daily living in stroke survivors, limited research directly compares these interventions. This gap makes it difficult for clinicians to determine the more effective rehabilitation strategy. This study compares the effectiveness of Task Oriented Mental Practice and the Motor Relearning Program in improving upper limb functions and activities of daily living among individuals with stroke. The study will be conducted as an experimental trial with 30 subacute stroke participants from GIPMER & ISIC, New Delhi. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the TOMP group or the MRP group. Individuals will be aged 20 to 60 years, with a duration of 1 to 6 months post stroke, Brunnstrom Stage 3 of hand, MOCA score greater than or equal to 26, and VMIQ score less than or equal to 2.26. Exclusion criteria include recurrent strokes, severe pain, perceptual or visual deficits, and other neurological or psychiatric conditions. Interventions will be provided for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Outcome measures include the Fugl Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity and the Functional Independence Measure. Assessments will be conducted before the intervention(baseline), after the 4 week intervention, and 6 weeks (follow up).