Effects of Motor Imagery on upper extremity function in subjects with cervical spinal cord injury- A Randomized Clinical Trial
The comparison of the effect of Motor imagery with physical practice and Conventional therapy in C-SCI subjects
Keywords:
Motor Imagery, Mental practice, Rehabilitation, Spinal cord injury, upper extremityAbstract
Background and Objectives: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating neurological disorders which involve damage to the central nervous system (CNS). It is followed by structural and functional reorganization and result in recovery of sensory- motor functions. This process can be enhanced through exposing the CNS to one of the technique of motor imagery (MI) with Mental practice. MI has been studied for various neurological disorders including SCI but due to lack in the proper guideline and procedure the research available for SCI is inconclusive with mixed therapeutic benefits. So, this clinical trial was conducted with the aim to develop a structured protocol and to find out the effects on hand function and manual dexterity of incomplete SCI subjects. Materials and methods: Forty Cervical SCI (C-SCI) subjects within 6 month of duration were assigned to the MI group (n = 20) or the conventional group (n = 20). Both group received the same conventional rehabilitation programs and additionally respective intervention i.e. MI group received MI with physical practice (PP) and conventional group received usual upper extremity exercises for 30 minutes per session, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. The Box and Block test (BBT), Action reach arm test (ARAT), Jabsen hand function test (JHFT) and Nine hole peg test (NHPT) were used as an outcome measure to assess gross manual dexterity, motor recovery of upper extremity and hand function at pre and post intervention. Result: At baseline subjects of both group showed no significant differences regarding BBT, ARAT, JHFT and NHPT scores but after 3 weeks of intervention, subjects of both group showed statistically significant improvements in all the variables measured (p<0∙05). Moreover subjects of the MI with PP group had greater improvement in the BBT, ARAT values compared to CT group. Conclusion: The present study confirms that structured protocol used for MI with PP is an effective treatment technique to improve upper extremity motor recovery and hand function in C-SCI subjects compare to CT. It is cost effective, easy and safe method for rehabilitation and most important can be easily administered at home by the subjects. [Rai P Natl J Integr Res Med, 2019; 10(4):18-25]
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