Evidence for your Practice: Action observation therapy for improving arm function, walking ability, and daily activity performance after stroke

Article: Peng, T. H., Zhu, J. D., Chen, C. C., Tai, R. Y., Lee, C. Y., & Hsieh, Y. W. (2019). Action observation therapy for improving arm function, walking ability, and daily activity performance after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical rehabilitation, 0269215519839108.

Study Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of action observation therapy on arm and hand motor function, walking ability, gait performance, and activities of daily living in stroke patients. 

Key Findings:

• Action observation therapy had moderate to large effects sizes on improving arm and hand motor function, walking ability, gait velocity, and daily activity performance in stroke survivors as compared with the control treatment
• As compared to the control group, action observation therapy had:
• moderate effect size on enhancing arm and hand motor function
• moderate to large effect sizes on improving walking ability and gait velocity
• moderate to large effect size in the meta-analysis of activities of daily living outcomes

Bottom Line for OT:

• Action observation therapy appears to be an effective approach for stroke patients to improve arm and hand motor function, walking ability, gait velocity, and daily activity performance.
• Action observation therapy improves motor and walking outcomes in patients with both acute/subacute and chronic stroke phases.

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