Effect of Mirror Therapy on Upper Extremity Motor Function in Stroke Patients

Salsabila Nuru Ramadhani, Wa Ode Sri Asnaniar, Ernasari Ernasari, Safruddin Safruddin, Rahmat Hidayat

Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and often results in impaired upper extremity motor function, which affects daily activities and quality of life. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mirror therapy in improving upper extremity motor function in stroke patients. This study used a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. A total of 50 respondents were selected using consecutive sampling and divided into intervention and control groups, each consisting of 25 respondents. The intervention group received mirror therapy, while the control group received routine hospital therapy. Motor function was measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE). The results showed improvement in both groups. The intervention group’s mean score increased from 52.32 to 55.88, while the control group’s score increased from 48.40 to 49.32. Statistical analysis showed significant improvements before and after intervention in both groups; however, no significant difference was found between groups after intervention (p=0.110). Mirror therapy may contribute to improvements in upper extremity motor function when used alongside routine rehabilitation. However, its superiority over routine rehabilitation alone was not demonstrated in this study.

Keywords

Stroke; Mirror Therapy; Motor Function; Upper Extremity; Rehabilitation

Full Text:

PDF

References

Bukhari, S., Yaghi, S., & Bashir, Z. (2023). Stroke in Young Adults. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(15), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-4160-4007-1.50152-8

Chen, R., Li, X., Zhao, R., Zhao, X., Ma, L., Miao, Q., & Zhang, R. (2025). G20 stroke burden 1990–2035: trends, projections and precision health insights. Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 46(11), 5863–5878. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-025-08465-4

de Sire, A., Marotta, N., Prestifilippo, E., Agostini, F., Parente, A., Tasselli, A., Mezian, K., Vecchio, M., Longo, U. G., & Ammendolia, A. (2025). Efficacy of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and mirror therapy in improving upper limb motor function and dexterity in post-stroke hemiparetic patients: a randomized controlled trial. Clinica Terapeutica, 176(6), 716–726. https://doi.org/10.7417/CT.2025.5288

Feigin, V. L., Brainin, M., Norrving, B., Martins, S. O., Pandian, J., Lindsay, P., F Grupper, M., & Rautalin, I. (2025). World Stroke Organization: Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025. International Journal of Stroke, 20(2), 132–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/17474930241308142

Gandhi, D. B. C., Sterba, A., Khatter, H., & Pandian, J. D. (2020). Mirror Therapy in Stroke Rehabilitation: Current Perspectives. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 16, 75–85. https://doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S206883

Gonzalez-Santos, J., Soto-Camara, R., Rodriguez-Fernández, P., Jimenez-Barrios, M., Gonzalez-Bernal, J., Collazo-Riobo, C., Jahouh, M., Bravo-Anguiano, Y., & Trejo-Gabriel-Galan, J. M. (2020). Effects of home-based mirror therapy and cognitive therapeutic exercise on the improvement of the upper extremity functions in patients with severe hemiparesis after a stroke: a protocol for a pilot randomised clinical trial. BMJ Open, 10(9), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035768

Hijikata, N., Kawakami, M., Ishii, R., Tsuzuki, K., Nakamura, T., Okuyama, K., & Liu, M. (2020). Item Difficulty of Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity in Persons With Chronic Stroke With Moderate-to-Severe Upper Limb Impairment. Frontiers in Neurology, 11, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2020.577855

Koga, M. (2026). Blood pressure management in stroke: comparative review of the 2025 AHA/ACC/AANP/ACPM/AGS/AMA/ASPC/NMA/PCNA/SGIM, 2024 ESC, 2023 ESH, and 2025 JSH guidelines. Hypertension Research, 49, 984–987. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-025-02517-0

Kolmos, M., Munoz-Novoa, M., Sunnerhagen, K., Murphy, M. A., & Kruuse, C. (2025). Upper-extremity motor recovery after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of usual care in trials and observational studies. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 468(123341), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2024.123341

Kurnia, E., & Idris, D. N. T. (2020). Kualitas Hidup Pada Pasien Pasca Stroke. Jurnal Penelitian Keperawatan, 6(2), 146–151. http://jurnal.stikesbaptis.ac.id/index.php/keperawatan

Liu, H., Xu, Y., Jiang, W., Hu, F., Zhou, Y., Pan, L., Zhou, F., Yin, Y., & Tan, B. (2024). Effects of task-based mirror therapy on upper limb motor function in hemiplegia: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial. Trials, 25(254), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08081-1

Mehrabi, S., Flores-Sandoval, C., Fleet, J. L., Dukelow, S. P., Bateman, E. A., & Teasell, R. (2025). Time Post-Stroke and Upper Extremity Stroke Motor Recovery Rehabilitation: A Meta-Analysis. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 39(11), 945–953. https://doi.org/10.1177/15459683251356975

Muhsinin, S. Z., Musniati, & Kusumawardani, D. (2025). Mirror Therapy Untuk Pasien Stroke dengan Kelemahan Anggota Gerak Bagian Atas: Literatur Review. Journal of Language and Health, 6(2), 327–332.

O’Flaherty, D., & Ali, K. (2024). Recommendations for Upper Limb Motor Recovery: An Overview of the UK and European Rehabilitation after Stroke Guidelines (2023). Healthcare (Switzerland), 12(14), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12141433

Okamura, R., Nakashima, A., Moriuchi, T., Fujiwara, K., Ohno, K., Higashi, T., & Tomori, K. (2024). Effects of a virtual reality-based mirror therapy system on upper extremity rehabilitation after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Neurology, 14(1298291), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1298291 Pramudya, Samiasih, A., & Vrananda, A. (2025). Dukungan Keluarga sebagai Faktor Dominan untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Hidup Pasien Pasca Stroke. Jurnal Penelitian Kesehatan Suara Forikes, 16(1), 270–274.

Pratiwi, A. (2017). Prosedur Mirror Therapy Pada Pasien Stroke. Proceeding Seminar Nasional Keperawatan, 3(1), 157–163.

Putri, L. E., & Wasilah, H. (2023). Penerapan Mirror Therapy Untuk Meningkatkan Kekuatan Otot Pada Pasien Stroke Di Rsup Fatmawati: Studi Kasus. Jurnal Ilmiah Keperawatan, 9(3), 596–601.

Sarzyńska-Długosz, I. (2023). An optimal model of long-term post-stroke care. Frontiers in Neurology, 14(1129516), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1129516

Wiśniowska-Szurlej, A., Leszczak, J., Brożonowicz, J., Ciąpała, G., Hernández-Lázaro, H., & Sozańska, A. (2025). Effectiveness of a rehabilitation program involving functional proprioceptive stimulation for postural control and motor recovery among stroke patients: a doubleblinded, randomized, controlled trial. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 22(147), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01678-w

Zhang, L., Jia, G., Ma, J., Wang, S., & Cheng, L. (2022). Short and long-term effects of robot-assisted therapy on upper limb motor function and activity of daily living in patients post-stroke: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 19(76), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-022-01058-8

Zhou, J., Chen, M., Dong, L. J., Zheng, C. X., Xu, J., Zhang, Y. P., & Liu, Y. L. (2025). Effects of mirror therapy combined with theta burst stimulation on motor recovery of upper limbs after stroke: a randomized controlled study. Frontiers in Neurology, 16, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1548703

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25157/ihc.v2i1.26481

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.