Mirror therapy for upper limb rehabilitation in chronic patients after stroke

Introduction: Individuals with stroke sequelae present changes in the postural alignment and muscle strength associated with hemiplegia or hemiparesis. Mirror therapy is a technique that aims to improve the motor function of the paretic limb. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mirror therapy, associated with conventional physiotherapy, for range of motion (ROM), degree of spasticity of the affected upper limb, and the level of independence in the activities of daily living (ADL) of chronic patients after stroke. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental (before and after) study. The study included ten stroke survivors undertaking physiotherapy and presenting with upper limb paresis. The following gauges were used for the present study: goniometry, the Modi ied Ashworth Scale, Fugl-Meyer and Barthel Index. Fifteen sessions were performed, each lasting 30 minutes, consisting of stretching of the lexor and extensor muscles of the wrist and elbow, pronators and supinators, followed by mirror therapy with gradual functional exercises. Results: Improvement was observed in all aspects studied, however with signi icant differences for ROM wrist extension (p = 0.04) *DVNM: Undergraduate Student, e-mail: [email protected] ALFM: Undergraduate Student, e-mail: [email protected] MTV: PhD, e-mail: [email protected] RCAA: MSc, e-mail: [email protected]