Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Mirror Therapy Suggestions

Some general suggestions: 
1. Be guided by a clinician who understands brain function. 
2. Presuming there is no jewelry on the affected side, remove wrist watches and rings. Try to make a total illusion. 
3. Depending on the pain and disability state, decide on an appropriate activity(ies) to perform with the good hand. This could range from just looking at the mirror image to finger movements, or taking weight through the hand. 
4. In general, the more severe the problem (eg. Severe Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), small movements, performed often, may be more appropriate. 
5. Feel comfortable with the selected movements(s)’, ie. ‘conquer the movement’ before progressing to a more challenging movement 
6. Once you feel comfortable with a movement, try and perform it in a different context. For example, do it with a song in your head, or with altered emotions by thinking of something good or bad. Overall, you will need to repeat movements, grade the movements and then context enriching the movements for best neurone health. 
7. Take care. If the hand in the box hurts or sweats, you may have taken the brain exercises too far even though the hand has not been moved. 
8. Move the painful hand in the box to the point where it starts to hurt a little and then move the good hand which is outside the box a little bit further. 
9. Do it simultaneously or reciprocally. 
10. By placing a mirror between the feet, a similar therapy can be performed for the for foot and leg problems.

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