Article

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of motor imagery training on the balance
and gait abilities of post-stroke patients. DESIGN:
Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation centre. SUBJECTS: Twenty-eight individuals
with chronic stroke. INTERVENTIONS: The experimental group (n = 15) performed
motor imagery training involving imagining normal gait movement for 15 minutes
embedded in gait training for 30 minutes (45 minutes/day, 3 times/week); the
control group (n = 13) performed gait training only (30 minutes/day, 3
times/week). MAIN MEASURES: Balance and gait abilities were measured by the
Functional Reach Test, Timed Up-and-Go Test, 10-m Walk Test and Fugl-Meyer
assessment before and after interventions. RESULTS: All measurements improved
significantly compared with baseline values in the experimental group. In the
control group, there were significant improvements in all parameters except the
Fugl-Meyer assessment. All parameters of the experimental group increased
significantly compared to those of the control group as follows: Functional Reach
Test (control vs. experimental: 28.1 +/- 3.1 vs. 37.51 +/- 3.0), Timed Up-and-Go
Test (20.7 +/- 4.0 vs. 13.2 +/- 2.2), 10-m Walk Test (17.4 +/- 4.6 vs. 16.0 +/-
2.7) and Fugl-Meyer assessment (12.0 +/- 2.9 vs. 17.6 +/- 1.3). CONCLUSIONS: Gait
training with motor imagery training improves the balance and gait abilities of
chronic stroke patients significantly better than gait training alone.

Langue : ANGLAIS