Abstract
Aim
This study aims to examine the effect of motor imagery (MI) training on MI abilities, functional mobility, and lower extremity muscle activity in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP).
Method
34 UCP and 17 typically developing participants were included. UCP was randomised into 2 groups as UCP MI and UCP control. Participants typically developing were included for baseline comparisons. UCP MI group received 8 weeks of physiotherapy and MI training, the UCP control group 8 weeks of physiotherapy training. The MI abilities, functional mobility, and lower extremity muscle activation were assessed in all groups.
Results
It was found that MI training made a significant difference in favour of the UCP MI group in terms of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-For Children (MIQ-C), mental chronometry, functional mobility, and resting muscle activation (p < 0.05). There was no such significant change in the UCP control group.
Conclusion
This current approach in UCP is a feasible method, beneficial to include it in the rehabilitation process.
Acknowledgements
We thank all the participants of this study, and Merve Başoğlu for her time and valuable contribution.
Author contributions
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Disclosure statement
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.