The Effect of Action Observation Therapy Including Unimanual and Bimanual Activities in Chronic Stroke

Functional impairments in the upper extremities following a stroke significantly restrict individuals' activities of daily living and overall quality of life; in this context, Action Observation Training (AOT) has emerged in recent years as an effective rehabilitation method that promotes motor learning processes and cortical activity by activating the mirror neuron system. Although the literature acknowledges the positive effects on neural mechanisms of both unimanuel approaches, which focus on the paretic hand alone, and bimanual approaches, which involve the simultaneous use of both hands, there remains a gap regarding which method yields superior outcomes. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of AOT interventions consisting of exclusively unimanual versus exclusively bimanual activities on upper extremity functions, activities of daily living, and quality of life in chronic stroke patients, while investigating the potential differences between the outcomes of these two distinct approaches.