Effects of Motor Imagery Combined with Repetitive Task Practice on Sitting Balance of Hemiplegic Patients

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We aimed at examining effects of motor imagery on sitting balance in hemiplegic patients with stroke. The experimental group consisted of patients who received motor imagery combined with movement training (I group), patients who received only movement training without motor imagery (M group) and control patients without intervention. The patients in I group were instructed to sit and perform motor imagery as if they flexed trunk forward or bent their trunk laterally, with the aid of visual information. After motor imagery, they were asked to perform the same movement as motor imagery. Sitting pressure in affected side at rest was significantly increased, and the angles of movements were significantly increased while bending laterally to affected side in I group. However, the patients in M group showed no significant improvement compared to the patients in control group. These results indicate that motor imagery was effective on sitting balance of hemiplegic patients.