Mirror Therapy in Physiotherapeutic Practice for Recovery of the Motor Function of the Upper Limb in Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Cerebrovascular diseases occupy a major place among socially significant diseases due to high morbidity, mortality and severe disability. Bulgaria is one of the first places in the world in these indicators. Timely and properly applied, physiotherapy has a positive effect on their independence and self-care. Modern physiotherapy is based on the theory of neuroplasticity - the ability of the brain to change adaptively with significant changes in the body and the environment. Mirror therapy is a contemporary approach to restoring the function of the upper limb after a stroke. It is based on the principle of stimulating movement in the affected limb through visual signals coming from the other side of the body. This aroused the interest to develop and implement a program and methodology of its application, including mirror therapy. The aim of the study was: To develop and implement a physiotherapy program and methodology of its application, including mirror therapy, to improve motor function of the upper limb in the recovery of patients with ischemic brain disease and to study the effect of its application. The present study was conducted in the Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine of the University Hospital "Medica-Russe" in the period from January 2019 to June 2020. Of the patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke, were formed two groups - control and experimental. Ten patients were included in each group. The presented own results make it possible to analyze the effect of the applied complex physiotherapy program and mirror therapy in the late recovery period.