Article

Mirror therapy, which provides the visual illusion of a functional paretic limb
by using the mirror reflection of the non-paretic arm, is used in the
rehabilitation of hemiparesis after stroke in adults.
We tested the effectiveness
and feasibility of mirror therapy in children with hemiplegia by performing a
pilot crossover study in ten participants (aged 6-14 y;
five males, five females;
Manual Ability Classification System levels: one at level I, two at level II,
four at level III, three at level IV) randomly assigned to 15 minutes of daily
bimanual training with and without a mirror for 3 weeks. Assessments of maximal
grasp and pinch strengths, and upper limb function measured by the Shriner's
Hospital Upper Extremity Evaluation were performed at weeks 0 (baseline), 3, 6
(intervention), and 9 (wash-out). Testing of grasp strength behind the mirror
improved performance by 15% (p=0.004). Training with the mirror significantly
improved grasp strength (with mirror +20.4%, p=0.033; without +5.9%, p>0.1) and
upper limb dynamic position (with mirror +4.6%, p=0.044; without +1.2%, p>0.1),
while training without a mirror significantly improved pinch strength (with
mirror +6.9%, p>0.1; without +21.9%, p=0.026).
This preliminary study
demonstrates the feasibility of mirror therapy in children with hemiplegia and
that it may improve strength and dynamic function of the paretic arm.
CI - (c) The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2011 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS