Objectives: Mirror therapy using visual feedback is one of the non-invasive methods along with other commonly used rehabilitation treatments for neurological patients which therapeutic effects on the affected upper limb of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy have also been studied. We aimed to examine the effect of mirror therapy on improving the dexterity and grasp of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Materials & methods: In this single-blind clinical trial, 30 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy in rehabilitation centers and special schools of Tabriz, northwest of Iran were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups in 2017. The children of the intervention group were under mirror therapy for 6 weeks. Occupational therapy exercise was done routinely for both groups. The grasp with dynamometer and the dexterity with box and block was measured. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and paired t-test.
Results: The mean scores of the two groups in dexterity were significantly different after the intervention (P=0.008). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in grasp.
Conclusion: Mirror therapy in hemiplegic children is useful in improving the dexterity but not in improving of the grasp.
Keywords: Hemiplegic cerebral palsy; Mirror therapy; Upper limb function.