Mirror Therapy in Conjunction with Conventional Therapy
The Benefits of Mirror Visual Feedback
Introduction Optical illusions have long been thought of as fun experiments to trick our eyes. It is difficult to imagine a circumstance in which we could use an optical illusion in a rehabilitation setting to help improve a patient's condition. It wasn't until about two decades ago that Ramachandran and his colleagues had the idea of using something similar to an optical illusion to help reduce pain in patients experiencing phantom limb pain (PLP) (Deconinck et al, 2015). This optical illusion was mirror therapy (MT) and the use of mirror visual feedback (MVF) to assist pain control in patients with PLP. Since the days it was first invented, it …show more content…
Quite a few of these studies have shown shrinkage and even disappearance of a phantom limb after MT had been implemented (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). Some patients have even reported an immediate shrinkage in the phantom limb just in the first session of MT (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009).. So how is this possible? It could possibly have something to do with the brain trying to make sense of the conflicting sensory inputs. These studies that were performed began to show that the phantom pain being experienced was being caused, to a certain degree, by the response to disparity between different senses (like vision & proprioception for example) (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). With this thought in mind, MVF may be working by restoring accord between motor output and the sensory input (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). There are other theories that have been used to explain how MT can reduce PLP. One of these theories addresses the fact that the patient is feeling this pain in a limb that doesn't exist. So why, by the brain's own intelligence, can it not inform the person that if the limb isn't there then the pain isn't actually there either? Surprisingly, it has been noted that pain mechanisms are partially immune to our brain's own intellect telling us that the pain "can't be real" (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). The patient is only feeling pain and there is nothing physcially there to …show more content…
One recent study on MT's benefits to post-stroke ambulation (Ji & Kim, 2015)? had patients performing MT exercises in a semi-seated position. These exercises included: hip-knee-ankle flexion, knee extension with ankle DF, and knee flexion beyond 90 degrees. The study concluded that patients in the MT group showed statistically significant improvements in single leg stance, step length, and stride length compared to patients in the control group (Ji & Kim, 2015).
Conclusion
The early evidence of mirror therapy is extremely promising. Other added benefits of MT beyond what has already been discussed include: it requires little training, easy set up, inexpensive equipment, and isn't too taxing on the patient. Mirror therapy shouldn't be looked at as a miracle cure for phantom limb pain and hemiplegia following a stroke but even if it only helps a small portion of the patient, it could still be a useful tool in rehabilitation when the high incidence of phantom pain and stroke are
The Benefits of Mirror Visual Feedback
Introduction Optical illusions have long been thought of as fun experiments to trick our eyes. It is difficult to imagine a circumstance in which we could use an optical illusion in a rehabilitation setting to help improve a patient's condition. It wasn't until about two decades ago that Ramachandran and his colleagues had the idea of using something similar to an optical illusion to help reduce pain in patients experiencing phantom limb pain (PLP) (Deconinck et al, 2015). This optical illusion was mirror therapy (MT) and the use of mirror visual feedback (MVF) to assist pain control in patients with PLP. Since the days it was first invented, it …show more content…
Quite a few of these studies have shown shrinkage and even disappearance of a phantom limb after MT had been implemented (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). Some patients have even reported an immediate shrinkage in the phantom limb just in the first session of MT (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009).. So how is this possible? It could possibly have something to do with the brain trying to make sense of the conflicting sensory inputs. These studies that were performed began to show that the phantom pain being experienced was being caused, to a certain degree, by the response to disparity between different senses (like vision & proprioception for example) (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). With this thought in mind, MVF may be working by restoring accord between motor output and the sensory input (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). There are other theories that have been used to explain how MT can reduce PLP. One of these theories addresses the fact that the patient is feeling this pain in a limb that doesn't exist. So why, by the brain's own intelligence, can it not inform the person that if the limb isn't there then the pain isn't actually there either? Surprisingly, it has been noted that pain mechanisms are partially immune to our brain's own intellect telling us that the pain "can't be real" (Ramchandran & Altschuler, 2009). The patient is only feeling pain and there is nothing physcially there to …show more content…
One recent study on MT's benefits to post-stroke ambulation (Ji & Kim, 2015)? had patients performing MT exercises in a semi-seated position. These exercises included: hip-knee-ankle flexion, knee extension with ankle DF, and knee flexion beyond 90 degrees. The study concluded that patients in the MT group showed statistically significant improvements in single leg stance, step length, and stride length compared to patients in the control group (Ji & Kim, 2015).
Conclusion
The early evidence of mirror therapy is extremely promising. Other added benefits of MT beyond what has already been discussed include: it requires little training, easy set up, inexpensive equipment, and isn't too taxing on the patient. Mirror therapy shouldn't be looked at as a miracle cure for phantom limb pain and hemiplegia following a stroke but even if it only helps a small portion of the patient, it could still be a useful tool in rehabilitation when the high incidence of phantom pain and stroke are