Mirror Therapy in Stroke Recovery

(Let me start by admitting this is a stretch to include in the Rehab Technology section….but I also included it in the alternative treatment section, if that makes you feel any better.)

This treatment is really a from of mental practice, but with the addition of visual “trickery,” so to speak.  It involves using a mirror to reflect the image of a patient’s stronger arm or leg in a way that makes it appear to be their weaker arm or leg.  For example, a patient might perform reaching exercise with her right hand (her stronger hand), while watching the mirror image of that right hand, which is set up in a way to make it seem that her left arm is the one doing the exercise.  The goal is to activate the parts of the brain that need to be stimulated in order to regain control of that affected arm or leg.

Here’s an example of a product, called a Mirror Box, that is sold for treating arm weakness after a stroke, as well as complex regional pain syndrome, and phantom limb pain. (click on the photo for a direct link)  The weaker arm is placed inside the box, and the side of the box is a mirror that reflects the movement of the stronger arm, making it appear to BE the weaker arm.

Does it Work?

In 2003, a study was published in The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehab, which analyzed the effects of using a mirror box with mental practice of reaching and hand/wrist motions on two stroke recoverers.  They found that “performance of the paretic limb improved after the imagery intervention, indicated by increases in assessment scores and functionality and decreases in movement times. The improvements over baseline performance remained stable over a 3-month period.”

The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehab also published a study in 2007, comparing the use of mirror therapy with traditional PT to a group that participated only in traditional PT.  They found “enhanced lower extremity motor recovery and motor functioning” in those that performed mirror therapy.

The Archives of Phys med and rehab published another study in 2008, which found that mirror therapy helped to improve hand function after a stroke.