A study on the effect of posture-recognition-based mirror visual feedback therapy on balance function and activities of daily living in patients with poststroke neglect

This study aimed to investigate the effects of posture-recognition-based mirror visual feedback therapy (MVFT) on the degree of neglect, balance function, and activities of daily living in patients with poststroke neglect. A retrospective cohort study design was employed. Patients with poststroke neglect admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of our hospital from May 2023 to May 2025 were selected and divided into a feedback therapy group and a conventional rehabilitation group based on whether they received posture-recognition-based MVFT. Propensity score matching was used to perform a 1:1 match between the 2 groups, ultimately including 63 patients in each group. Scores from the Line Cancellation Test, the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and the modified Barthel Index (MBI) were collected before treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment. Differences in treatment effects between the 2 groups were compared, and the correlation between the improvement in neglect and functional recovery was analyzed. After matching, baseline data were balanced and comparable between the 2 groups (P > .05). After treatment, the feedback therapy group showed significantly greater improvements than the conventional rehabilitation group in the Line Cancellation Test (8.44 ± 3.21 vs 5.67 ± 2.98, P = .003), CBS score (7.22 ± 3.01 vs 5.11 ± 2.87, P = .005), BBS score (17.22 ± 5.67 vs 12.14 ± 5.23, P = .001), and MBI score (26.78 ± 8.45 vs 18.34 ± 7.89, P < .001). Correlation analysis revealed that the improvement in CBS score was significantly positively correlated with the improvement in BBS score (r = 0.512, P < .001) and the improvement in MBI score (r = 0.548, P < .001). Subgroup analysis indicated that the therapy was effective for patients with lesions on either side (P < .05) and that its efficacy was not affected by the side of the lesion (P > .05). Posture-recognition-based MVFT can effectively reduce neglect symptoms, improve balance function, and enhance activities of daily living in patients with poststroke neglect. The alleviation of neglect is closely related to functional recovery. This therapy demonstrates good applicability to patients with lesions on either side and is worthy of clinical promotion.