Action observation with self-controlled and pre-determined frequency in stroke

Abstract

Introduction: Action observation is an important step in the rehabilitation of stroke. Objectives: To evaluate the performance of post-stroke patients in the observation of the action of drinking water. Methods: Twenty patients (57.9 ± 6.7 years) and twenty healthy subjects (55.4 ± 5.9 years) were divided into four groups, two with self-controlled frequency, which determined the number of times four sequences of action were delivered on video, and two with predetermined frequency by the examiner 20 times. For data analysis, the chi-square test was used. Results: Patients showed similar to healthy throughout the performance trials. The self-controlled patients group needed less frequently trials to properly recognize the sequences of action and stabilized performance at the sixth trial. Conclusions: Stroke patients who use self-controlled frequency can benefit from this technique with few repetitions, so it can be included in physical therapy for these patients.