Immediate effect of kinesthetic illusion induced by visual stimulation on ankle dorsiflexion dysfunction of stroke patients

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of kinesthetic illusion induced by visual stimulation (KiNvis) on ankle dorsiflexion dysfunction of stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 7 hemiplegic stroke patients. An image of ankle dorsiflexion on the non-paralytic side filmed in the first-person perspective was flipped horizontally and then shown on a computer screen placed over the paralytic foot. Subjects observed a recording of the ankle dorsiflexion motion that caused KiNvis. Outcome measures were pre- and post-KiNvis, visual analog scale (VAS), ankle dorsiflexion automatic movement angle (ADAMA), lower limb Fugl- Meyer assessment scale (FMA-LE), and 10 m maximum walking speed (10MWS). [Results] VAS was 68.8 ± 20.6 mm. There were significant improvements in ADAMA, FMA-LE, and 10MWS. [Conclusion] The results suggest that ankle dorsiflexion dysfunction of stroke patients can be improved by inducing kinesthetic illusion.