Task-based mirror therapy for shoulder-hand syndrome after stroke
Official title: Effects of Task-based Mirror Therapy on Edema, Pain and Upper Limb Motor Function for Post-stroke Shoulder-hand Syndrome
Run by Riphah International University · NCT07428811 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will try mirror therapy tasks to reduce swelling and pain and improve arm and hand movement in people aged 45–75 with shoulder-hand syndrome after a stroke.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 45 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 34 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Riphah International University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Lahore, Punjab Province and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 5, 2025 |
| Main results expected | April 12, 2026 |
| Study ends | April 30, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | February 24, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07428811 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are people aged 45–75 with subacute stroke (less than 6 months), able to sit, with sufficient cognition (MoCA ≥ 24), moderate spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale ≤ 2), no severe contractures, and no peripheral nerve or major musculoskeletal disorders.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe apraxia, unilateral neglect, global or receptive aphasia, severe contractures, significant comorbidities that prevent participation, or those outside the age or stroke-timing criteria are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized interventional trial will enroll 34 participants at two clinics in Lahore and randomly assign them to a task-based mirror therapy group or a control group receiving conventional exercises. Treatments last 30 minutes per day, five days a week, for four weeks, with each movement repeated in sets (20 repetitions per set, three sets) and brief rest intervals. Primary outcomes include pain intensity (Numeric Pain Rating Scale), edema (figure-of-eight method), and upper limb motor function, measured before and after the intervention. The protocol targets subacute stroke patients and uses a convenience sampling method with online randomization to allocate participants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce pain and swelling and improve arm and hand function for people recovering from stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Previous mirror therapy studies have shown mixed but promising results for post-stroke motor recovery and pain reduction, while task-based mirror therapy for shoulder-hand syndrome is less extensively studied.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Age 45 to 75 years. * Both male and female patients are included in the study. * Subacute stroke patients having stroke less than 6 months are included in this study. * Stable participants having a stroke severity score \> 6 on National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). * Modified Ashworth scale score ≤ 2 of the affected upper extremity. * Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score ≥ 24. * Patients who can sit with or without support. * No contractures of the affected shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers. * Participants who have no history of peripheral nerve injury or musculoskeletal disease Exclusion Criteria: * • Participants who have medical problems or co-morbidities that interdict their participation in the study. * Patients with severe apraxia, somatosensory problems. * Unilateral neglect * Severe contractures of the affected shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger. * Participants who show the symptoms of global or receptive aphasia.
Where it's running
-
Alara healthcare clinic
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan Recruiting -
Ittefaq Hospital and Trust Lahore
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Binash Afzal, PHD — Riphah International University
- Study coordinator: Maha Sahar, MSPT-NM
- Email: mahasahar5@gmail.com
- Phone: 03003424449
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.