Effectiveness of mirror therapy and action observation therapy in infantile cerebral palsy: a systematic review

Abstract

The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of mirror therapy (MT) and action observation therapy (AOT) on upper limb-related body structures, body functions, ac-tivity, and involvement in patients with infantile cerebral palsy (ICP). We carried out a systematic review of randomized controlled trials published over the past 10 years, in which MT or AOT was compared to other ICP-directed interventions. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria and we measured their methodological quality using the PEDro scale. MT or AOT seem to significantly improve upper limb-related body structures, body function, activity, and participation in comparison to other interventions for ICP. Both seem to improve overall quality of life, reduce their disability, and promote its functioning. Further studies with higher methodological quality need to be developed to con-firm the long-term effectiveness of MT and AOT.