The Effect of Mirror Therapy on Self Care of Patients with Stroke

Background and

Stroke is one of major causes of disability and self care. Therefore, it is important to introduce and develop new treatment approaches in order to improve and enhance post stroke recovery process for medical, social and economical purposes. The aim of this study was determine the effect of mirror therapy on self care of patients with stroke.

This Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted on 50 patients with stroke hospitalized randomly allocated in two groups of control (25 patients) and mirror therapy (25 patients). In experimental group, twenty 30 –minute sessions were done daily or every other day patients did range of motion of upper and lower extremities of healthy side in front of mirror and observed just its mirror image. In additional to mirror therapy in both groups, the routine program (physiotherapy and neuromuscular stimulation) was performed. Ability of self care was assessed before, 5th, 10th, 15th and last sessions of intervention using barthel index scale. Finally data analyzed in different phase by t-test and repeated measure.

Two groups showed no significant difference in terms of ability of self care and confounding variables before intervention. In 5th, 10th and 15th were significantly different (p<0.05) but in last sessions of intervention in mirror therapy group were not significantly improved in comparison with control group after intervention (P>0.05). Repeated messure showed significant independently effect of group and step on self care of patients with stroke (P<0.05), however this effect was not interactional (P>0.05).

Mirror therapy can improve self care of patients with stroke as a simple, inexpensive and patient-oriented treatment.