Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Home-based motor imagery intervention improves functional performance following total knee arthroplasty in the short term: a randomized controlled trial.
Motor imagery (MI) is effective in improving motor performance in the healthy asymptomatic adult population. However, its possible effects among older orthopaedic patients are still poorly investigated. Therefore, this study explored whether the addition of motor imagery to routine physical therapy reduces the deterioration of quadriceps muscle strength and voluntary activation (VA) as well as other variables related to motor performance in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). ⋯ MI practice, when added to physical therapy, improves both objective and subjective measures of patients' physical function after TKA, and facilitates transfer of MI strength task on functional mobility.