Effects of Home-based Mirror Therapy Combined With Task-oriented Training for Patients With Stroke

The home-based MTOT group will receive 30 minutes of MT followed by 30 minutes of TOT per session. The intervention will take place in the participant's home environment. During the mirror practices, the patient will seat close to a table which the mirror box will be placed at the mid-sagittal plane. During MT, the participant will be encouraged to actively move their paretic arm and hand concurrently with the mirror reflection of the movement of the nonparetic arm and hand as possible as they can. If necessary, the therapist will assist the participant in moving the paretic hand to synchronize the movement with the nonparetic hand.

The control group will receive a dose-matched, individualized occupational therapy at a hospital. The participants will receive customary rehabilitation programs as usual performed at hospitals for 1 hour per session. The treatment protocol will include: (a) passive range of motion exercises, stretching of the affected limb, or facilitatory and inhibitory techniques, (b) fine motor or dexterity training, (c) arm exercises or gross motor training, (d) muscle strengthening of the affected upper limb, and (e) activities of daily living training or functional task practice.

The hospital-based MTOT group will also receive 30 minutes of MT followed by 30 minutes of TOT per session at a hospital. The intervention will take place in the occupational therapy clinic. The treatment modalities in the hospital will be selected and provided for this group. Most of the treatment principles and components are the same as aforementioned in the home-based MTOT. However, the major differences between home-based and hospital-based MTOT are the treatment contexts, environments and functional modalities used.