ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article was to explore the potential for the use of mental practice for the rehabilitation in persons with stroke. Clinical application of mental practice in physical medicine and rehabilitation have not flourished to the same extent as application of mental practice to sports psychology. Studies from the disciplines of kinesiology, neurophysioloy and psychology support the use of mental practice in the post-stroke population. A model is included to demonstrate how mental practice can work through motivation, cognition and neural reorganization to facilitate motor relearning and functional independence. Recent evidence usingmodern brain-imaging techniques suggest that motor planning during both imagined and actual movements use very similar brain centers. Influencing factors such as imaging ability, task, and method of instructions are discussed. The advantage and disadvantage of using mental practice are included. The potentials of mental practice as a method of promoting and acquiring the exercise functions of stroke patients are being recognized, and is expected to have high effectiveness as a method of improving the functions of the patients in the field of occupationaltherapy.