Daiva Baltaduonienė, Neringa Karsokaitė
Abstract
The attempts to find any Lithuanian scientific works on mirrortherapy impact on hand function improvement of patients afterstroke were unsuccessful that is why our aim in this work wasto analyze the benefit of the therapy. The aim of the final work isto evaluate the changes in hand motoric function when applyingmirror therapy for patients after stroke.Preliminary experimental research of mirror therapy applicationwas carried out in January – May, 2013 in the department ofphysical medicine and rehabilitation II of Kaunas clinical hospital.16 women and 4 men participated in the research. The average ageof the patients was 72,2 years. In cooperation with the rehabilitationdepartment team and after application of selection tool, shortresearch of mental state (MMSE), patients, whose MMSE was notlower than 21 points, were selected for the research. This score wasnecessary in order for patients to understand the commands andto perform them. One more selection criterion was hand ability toperform movement in full amplitude after eliminating the activityof gravitational forces; it was assessed using 5 point system ofLovett – the score had to be not lower than 2 points. Measurements were performed 2 times: before the therapy and after 3 weeks. Wasassessed using: functional independence test (FIT), hydraulichand dynamometer, monometer, goniometry and Jebsen – Taylorhand function test. At the beginning of occupational therapy theevaluation of functional state of the patients after stroke was 83,3points, and at the end of the therapy – 106,1 points (statisticallysignificantly different from the results (p <0.05)). The changes inJebsen – Taylor damaged hand function test scores was 6,5 points(p <0.05). The changes in average scores of the damaged handpressure strength before the occupational therapy was 8,7 kg, andafter the therapy – 14,6 kg. The changes in damaged hand figurepressure force after the therapy – „Key“ pressure force increasedby 1,4± 0,2 kg, I-II finger pressure force -1,6 kg± 0,2 kg andchanges in I-II-III finger pressure – even1,9 kg± 0,3 kg. After theapplication of mirror therapy for patients after stroke a considerableimprovement in the damaged hand muscle strength, finger pressureforce as well as wrist and finger joint movement amplitude hasbeen observed. The in dependence of patients after stroke afterthe mirror therapy increased.
Keyword(s): occupational therapy, mirror therapy, stroke, hand motoric disfunction, hemiparesis, independence
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2014.129
Full Text: PDF