irror Therapy Improves Hand Function in Subacute Stro Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To evaluate the effects of mirror therapy on pper-extremity motor recovery, spasticity, and hand-related unctioning of inpatients with subacute stroke. Design: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, 4-week rial, with follow-up at 6 months. Setting: Rehabilitation education and research hospital. Participants: A total of 40 inpatients with stroke (mean age, 3.2y), all within 12 months poststroke. Interventions: Thirty minutes of mirror therapy program a ay consisting of wrist and finger flexion and extension moveents or sham therapy in addition to conventional stroke ehabilitation program, 5 days a week, 2 to 5 hours a day, for weeks. Main Outcome Measures: The Brunnstrom stages of motor ecovery, spasticity assessed by the Modified Ashworth Scale MAS), and hand-related functioning (self-care items of the IM instrument). Results: The scores of the Brunnstrom stages for the hand nd upper extremity and the FIM self-care score improved ore in the mirror group than in the control group after 4 eeks of treatment (by 0.83, 0.89, and 4.10, respectively; all .01) and at the 6-month follow-up (by 0.16, 0.43, and 2.34, espectively; all P .05). No significant differences were found etween the groups for the MAS. Conclusions: In our group of subacute stroke patients, hand unctioning improved more after mirror therapy in addition to conventional rehabilitation program compared with a control reatment immediately after 4 weeks of treatment and at the -month follow-up, whereas mirror therapy did not affect pasticity.