Mental practice combined with physical practice for upper-limb motor deficit in subacute stroke

Background and Purpose. This case report describes a patient with upper-limb hemiparesis (ULH) who received a program combining physical therapy for the affected side with mental practice. Case Description. The patient was a 56-year-old man with stable motor deficits, including ULH, on his dominant side resulting from a right parietal infarct that occurred 5 months previously. He received physical therapy for an hour 3 times a week for 6 weeks. In addition, 2 times a week the patient listened to an audiotape instructing him to imagine himself functionally using the affected limb. The patient also listened to the audiotape at home 2 times a week. Pretreatment and posttreatment measures were the upper-extremity scale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Impairment (Fugl-Meyer Scale), the Action Research Arm Test (ARA), and the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM). Outcomes. The patient exhibited reduction in impairment (Fugl-Meyer Scale) and improvement in arm function, as measured by the ARA and STREAM. Discussion. Mental practice may complement physical therapy to improve motor function after stroke.