Combined Effects of Mirror Therapy and Exercises on the Upper Extremities in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study investigated the combined effects of mirror therapy involving power and strength exercises of the upper extremities in children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy (USCP).

Methods: Thirty children were included in either an experimental group or a control group. All participants were evaluated with the Quality of Upper Extremity Skill Test (QUEST), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and a handheld dynamometer to measure isometric muscle strength.

Results: Compared to the control group, greater improvement was found in dissociated movements (p < .001, d = 1.82), grasp (p < .001, d = 1.38), weight bearing (p = .006, d = 0.91), and total scores (p = .001, d = 1.16) of QUEST; performance (p < .001, d = 2.9), satisfaction (p < .001, d = 1.91), and total scores (p < .001, d = 2.87) of COPM; and isometric muscle strength of the biceps brachii (p < .001, d = 1.27) and triceps brachii (p = .002, d = 2.22) of the affected upper limbs in the experimental group.

Conclusions: Mirror therapy combined with power and strength exercises is a promising intervention approach to improve activity performance and upper-limb function in children with USCP.

KEYWORDS:

• Cerebral palsy
• therapy
• mirror neuron
• upper extremity
• exercise training

Implications for rehabilitation

• This paper provides insights into the effects of combined mirror therapy with power and strength exercises on upper limb function, activity performance, and muscle strength in children with unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

• Clinicians may focus on the proximal joints in addition to distal joints for upper limb rehabilitation.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to report

Additional information

Funding

No funding is reported by the authors.