The Effect of Guided Motor Imagery on Functional Gait Performance in Post Stroke Patients

Abstract

Purpose: Restoration of independent walking is the major goal of rehabilitation after stroke. Walking difficulty hinders community level participation of an individual, affecting quality of life. Earliest activation of locomotion concerned cortical areas is important to achieve near normal locomotion after rehabilitation. Motor imagery (MI) is a process of imagination of body part movement without actually moving it and it is found that MI activates same cortical areas which are activated during actual movement. MI enhances motor planning, causes neural adaptations to improve voluntary skeletal muscle strength and increases firing at local interneurons as well. There is limited evidence available regarding the effect of guided motor imagery (guided MI) on functional gait performance in post stroke patients. Hence, purpose of this study is to see the effect of guided MI on functional gait performance in post stroke patients. Aim: To study effect of guided MI on functional gait performance in post stroke patients. Objective: To assess and compare functional gait performance in post stroke patients with and without guided MI. Method: Prospective, Experimental Randomized Control Trial. Result: Study results showed that functional gait performance has improved in post stroke patients due to guided MI reflected by significant p values during analysis. Conclusion: The above study concludes that application of guided MI improves functional gait performance in post stroke patients as compared to conventional treatment alone, enhancing their functional independence and quality of life.