Effects of Mirror Therapy and Bilateral Arm Training on Hemiparetic Upper Extremity in Patients With Chronic Stroke

Patients performed customized bimanual upper limb exercises with graded level of difficulty based on the patient's individual levels of upper limb functioning according to the 7 levels of the FTHUE and each level consisted of 5 standardized table-top tasks. The patients practiced the movements with the unaffected hand (including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand). While watching the reflection of the unaffected hand in the mirror, the patient was then asked to moving the affected hand at the same time to synchronize the movement with the reflection of the unaffected hand. If the patient was unable to move the hand, a therapist would passively assist the movement of the affected hand so as to synchronize it with the reflection of the unaffected hand.

Patients performed customized bimanual upper limb exercises with graded level of difficulty based on the patient's individual levels of upper limb functioning according to the 7 levels of the FTHUE and each level consisted of 5 standardized table-top tasks, but without a mirror. The patients can take a direct view of their paretic hand.