RESUMO
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of mirror therapy on pain, sensory, and functional development in addition to conventional rehabilitation and occupational practices in patients with a peripheral nerve injury in the hand. Patients and methods: Twenty-six patients with peripheral nerve injury in the hand were included in this randomized controlled study between November 2017 and May 2018. The patients were randomly assigned to the mirror group (n=14) and the control (n=12) group. Both groups received conventional therapy in our clinic for 45 min a day during weekdays for six consecutive weeks. The mirror group received an additional 10-15 min of visual mirror therapy. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Duruöz Hand Index, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Jebsen hand function test, and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test were used for the assessment of pain, hand function, and sensation of the patients at baseline and after treatment. The handgrip strength of the patients was measured with a dynamometer. Results: A total of 20 patients (17 males, 3 females; mean age 31.9±16.5, range 16 to 65 years) completed the study, with 10 in each group. Statistically significant improvement was detected in hand skill functions, such as page-turning (p=0.004), backgammon packing (p=0.023), and heavy object lifting (p=0.029) in the mirror group. A statistically significant decrease was found in total scores of VAS after treatment in both groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results imply that mirror therapy integrated with conventional rehabilitation may aid additional benefits on hand functions in peripheral nerve injury. These results demonstrate that mirror therapy can be used in addition to the rehabilitation program of patients with peripheral nerve injury.
RESUMO
It is unknown if an online tool is wanted by therapists and parents of individuals with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) to support implementation of goal-directed home programs, and if wanted, the recommended features for the tool. The objective was to explore the experiences of therapists and parents who have implemented home programs, seek guidance on translating a paper-based home program toolbox into a mobile website, and develop the website. Qualitative descriptive methodology guided data collection using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, validated with field notes and member checking. A team science, iterative approach was used to integrate the themes into the development of the mobile website. Five primary themes including recommendations for the functionality, features, content, and naming of the mobile website were identified. Parents and therapists value home programs. Participants provided recommendations regarding content and features, and the GO Move mobile website was developed based on the recommendations.
Development of Go Move: A Website for Children With Unilateral Cerebral PalsyTherapists and parents of children with unilateral cerebral palsy were interviewed to understand their experience of home programs and gain input for creating a mobile website with information on goal setting and implementing home programs. The interviews provided valuable information about the functionality, features, content, and naming of the website. GO Move, a mobile website aimed to provide information on goal setting, activity selection, and tracking of exercises and activities in the home environment for children with unilateral cerebral palsy, was developed based on the information from the interviews.