Comparison of Embedded and Added Motor Imagery Training in Patients After Stroke

Completed

Phase 2 Results N/A

Trial Description

The purpose of the study is to examine if patients in the embedded motor imagery (MI) training group (EG1) need less time to perform the motor task than patients in the added MI training group (EG2).

Detailed Description

The purpose of the study is to examine if patients in the embedded MI training into physiotherapy (EG1) need less time to perform the motor task than patients in the added MI training to physiotherapy (EG2).
A third groups serves a control group (CG) to investigate the effect of the intervention versus a group with a control intervention.
Additionally, semi-structured interviews before and after the intervention will give an insight in the patient's experience with motor imagery (MI), their expectations regarding the intervention and their opinions about MI after the intervention.

Conditions

Interventions

  • Motor imagery (MI) training Other
    Intervention Desc: MI training encloses the internal rehearsal of a known motor skill without any overt motor output.
    ARM 1: Kind: Experimental
    Label: EG1: embedded MI
    Description: Experimental group 1: Participants receive motor imagery (MI) training included in 45min physiotherapy, 3 times per week for 2 weeks.
    ARM 2: Kind: Experimental
    Label: EG2: added MI
    Description: Experimental group 2: Participants receive a 15 minutes motor imagery (MI) training added to a 30 min physiotherapy session, 3 times a week for two weeks.
  • Control intervention Other
    Intervention Desc: The control intervention encloses relaxation and breathing exercises, and information about: the disease (stroke), therapy options, self-help groups and their offers for support, helping aids for independent living at home.
    ARM 1: Kind: Experimental
    Label: CG
    Description: Control group: Participants receive a 15 min control intervention added to their 30 min physiotherapy session, 3 times a week for two weeks.

Trial Design

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor)
  • Purpose: Treatment
  • Endpoint: Efficacy Study
  • Intervention: Parallel Assignment

Outcomes

Type Measure Time Frame Safety Issue
Primary Time in seconds to perform a motor task: "Going down, laying on the floor and getting up again." 2 weeks No
Secondary Further outcome measures: - Help needed to perform the task, scored on a 7-item scale (1 total help, 7 completely independent) - Stage of motor task (one out of 13 possible stages) 2 weeks No
Secondary Motor impairment and independence measured with the extended Barthel index (EBI). 2 weeks No
Secondary Balance measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). 2 weeks No
Secondary Motor imagery ability measured with the kinesthetic and visual motor imagery questionnaire (KVIQ) and the 'Imaprax 1.1' software. 2 weeks No
Secondary Fear of falling (FOF) is measured with the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC-scale). 2 weeks No

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