International Journal of Yoga, Physiotherapy and Physical Education

Authors
Riya Anpat, Dr. Varsha A Kulkarni

Abstract
Background: Stroke is a serious vascular disorder of the brain caused by an obstruction of blood and energy supply to brain due to blood clot moving from the heart to brain and/or by narrowing or bursting of blood vessels. Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) has shown beneficial effects on motor system and on somatosensory recovery. Mirror Therapy (MT) is form of motor imagery in which a mirror is used to convey visual stimuli to brain through observation of movements performed on unaffected part. It improves motor system by training ipsilateral or contralesional primary sensorymotor cortex. Method: Total of 40 patients were taken and then randomized to CIMT and MT groups. Conventional therapy was given to both the groups. Intervention groups received training for 45 min per day during 5 consecutive weekdays for 4 weeks. Outcome measure to assess hand function was the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). Result: The baseline characteristics between the groups were similar statistically. Along with conventional therapy; CIMT has shown significant improvement (p< 0.0001) in hand function in chronic stroke patients on individual tasks of WMFT as compared with MT. Conclusion: When compared on WMFT, CIMT and MT both are individually helpful in improving hand function in chronic stroke patients along with conventional therapy. But CIMT showed more effect than MT on WMFT