Effects of visual-motor illusions with different visual stimuli on the sit-to-stand of people with hemiplegia following stroke: A randomized crossover controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different visual stimuli during visual-motor illusion on sit-to-stand in people with hemiplegia following stroke.

METHODS

This was a randomized crossover controlled trial. Twenty people with hemiplegia following stroke were randomly divided into groups. The video images used for visual-motor illusion were ankle dorsiflexion without resistance (standard visual-motor illusion [standard illusion]) and maximum effort dorsiflexion with resistance (power visual-motor illusion [power illusion]). People with hemiplegia following stroke underwent both illusion interventions with a 1-week washout period in between; group A started with the standard illusion intervention and group B started with the power illusion intervention. Outcomes included the sit-to-stand duration, maximum weight-bearing value, trunk movement during sit-to-stand, ankle joint movement during sit-to-stand, and active ankle dorsiflexion movement on the paralyzed side.

RESULTS

The angular velocity of the trunk and ankle joints increased significantly during sit-to-stand, and sit-to-stand duration decreased significantly in response only to power illusion. In addition, the change in angular velocity of active ankle dorsiflexion was significantly greater in response to power illusion than was the change in response to standard illusion.

CONCLUSION

Power illusion induces a greater improvement in paralyzed ankle dorsiflexion function than standard illusion, resulting in shorter sit-to-stand duration.