earticle

영어

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of a group mirror therapy on upper limb and sensory functions in community-living individuals with chronic stroke. Seven patients with chronic stroke living in the community volunteered for this study, and they underwent a group mirror therapy. Measurements were made with Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and monofilament test, which were evaluated before and after the intervention, and 2-week follow-up. A group mirror therapy was performed for average 90 minutes daily, 5 times a week for 2 weeks (a total of 10 sessions), consisting of trainings for the upper extremity: Warm-up, main training (active range of motion exercise and functional task training), and cool-down. A Friedman test was used to compare the changes of measurement values. The results of the study showed that FMS scores were statistically significantly improved after intervention, and gain was maintained at the 2-week follow-up (p<.05). However, there was not significantly different for the monofilament test scores after the intervention and the follow-up, despite of positive change after the intervention (p>.05). These findings suggest that a group mirror therapy might be beneficially used to improve the upper limb function of patients with stroke. Further studies with robust design warrant study results.