| Summary: | Background: Motor imagery (MI) has been shown to be beneficial if added to physical practice. It remained unclear, whether M I is effective in patients after stroke, whether MI techniques differ across disciplines, and whether MI can be applied to complex motor tasks (MTs) in patients after stroke. Methods and results: Two systematic reviews were conducted: firstly, to evaluate evidence of MI interventions. Four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) confirmed MI efficacy in patients after stroke if added to therapy. Secondly, characteristics of successful MI training sessions in different disciplines were reviewed. Totally 141 MI interventions were identified in education, medicine, music, psychology, and sports. Information describing 17 MI training elements and 7 temporal parameters were identified and compared. Prior to conducting a pilot RCT, two questionnaires to assess MI ability (KVIQ, Imaprax) were translated with associated validity and reliability testing. The single blinded pilot RCT compared two MI approaches: embedded (n=13) vs. added (N=13) MI vs. a control group (N=14) in patients after stroke. Primary outcome measure was time to perform a complex MT. Results revealed a significant change for all three groups from pre- to post-intervention but no group differences. A qualitative study evaluated MI experiences in patients from experimental groups using semi-structured interviews. Results showed that answers matched to MI framework questions where, when, what, why, and how to use imagery. Conclusions and contributions: MI is still under-researched in stroke rehabilitation. Conducted research showed that MI was beneficial if added to therapy and MI techniques varied across disciplines. Embedded and added MI supported patients similarly and could be applied to a complex MT. MI appeared spontaneously in patients after stroke and was used to practice simple movements. Furthermore, this thesis proposed steps towards consistent term usage and detailed MI intervention reporting, which is lacking in current Ml literature.
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