CONSTRAINT-INDUCED MOVEMENT THERAPY (CIMT) VS. MIRROR THERAPY (MT) ON HAND FUNCTION AND SPASTICITY IN PATIENTS WITH HEMIPARESIS

CIMT is a intensive training sessions of 6 hours/day for 5 weeks, focusing on functional tasks with the paretic arm while constraining the unaffected arm using a mitt or sling. Implement a constraint on the non-paretic arm to encourage increased use of the affected arm in daily activities. Use shaping techniques to gradually increase the complexity and difficulty of tasks performed with the affected arm (Rahman, 2016). Most commonly, the protocol continues to be 2 weeks in duration but the intensity is adjusted such that the restraint is worn for approximately 6 h per day and therapy is administered for 2 to 3 h per day (MacKenzie \& Viana, 2024). But this study implementing a 2 hour CIMT protocol with 6h restrain for 8 weeks in sub-acute stroke rehabilitation balances therapeutic intensity with practical considerations, potentially enhancing patient engagement and rehabilitation outcomes within clinical settings (Chen et al., 2014; Udoeyop, 2017).

A specific intervention that uses a mirror to create a visual illusion of the affected limb, with the goal of improving motor function and quality of life in chronic stroke patients. In mirror therapy, the patient is asked to move the unaffected limb while watching the moving limb being reflected in the mirror. The congruent visual feedback through the mirror affects brain lesions and motor-related areas on the affected side, facilitating motor recovery. Patients with chronic stroke who can benefit from visual feedback to enhance motor recovery (Gandhi et al., 2020; Rothgangel \& Braun, 2013). Mirror therapy sessions should last at least 10 minutes daily, with the option to increase up to 30 minutes for optimal benefits. Practice mirror therapy exercises at least once a day. Perform gentle movements with the intact limb while observing its reflection in the mirror(Crosby et al., 2016).