Mental Practice in Stroke Recovery

Other names for mental practice:

• visual imagery
• mental imagery
• guided visualization
• mental movement therapy

I know what you’re thinking:

“Are you telling me to IMAGINE moving, and I will regain the ability to move?”

YES…that’s EXACTLY what I’m telling you.

Research has shown that simply THINKING about moving your affected arm or leg after a stroke activates the same areas of your brain that need repetitive stimulation in order to regain control of that arm or leg!  And many studies have shown it to be effective in recent stroke, and even years after a stroke.

Mental practice involves deep relaxation, then concentration on specific aspects of the movement or task that one is trying to improve. It’s basically a rehearsal of the entire movement in your mind.   For years, athletes have used mental practice to improve the precision of their movements, and their sports performance.  Many rehab professionals also guide their patients through mental rehearsal, in conjunction with actual physical practice of  movements and activities.  Mental Movement Therapy is an audio program I created to teach you more about using mental practice on your own, and help guide you through the most effective use of this technique.

If you want to find out more about this treatment option, read here http://www.mentalmovementtherapy.com/patients-caregivers/why-mental-movement-therapy/

Or if you want to read summaries of the published literature on this treatment, read here: http://www.mentalmovementtherapy.com/health-professionals/evidence/

BOTTOM LINE:

For most stroke survivors who have deficits in motor function (recently or many years after a stroke) mental practice has great potential.  However, if certain locations in the brain that control motivation, attention, or verbal processing were damaged by the stroke, that person’s ability to effectively use mental practice in their rehab could be limited.  But there are no known side-effects, it’s relatively easy to incorporate into a rehab program, and there is a good amount of research supporting it’s effectiveness.