Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the effects of Motor Imagery on walking function in stroke patients. Methods: A computerized search was performed on the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, EBSCO, CBMdisc, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Database, and relevant references were also traced, for Randomized Controlled Trails (RCTs) studying the effects of Motor Imagery on walking function. Two reviewers independently searched databases, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.3. Results: Seven RCTs and 259 patients were included in our Meta-analysis. The Meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional rehabilitation, Motor Imagery could improve Stride Length [MD=9.88,95% CI (0.46,19.30), P=0.04], Fug-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (FMA-LE) score [MD=2.24, 95% CI=(0.90, 3.58), P=0.001], Functional Ambulation Category Scale (FAC) score [MD=0.58, 95% CI (0.28, 0.88), P<0.001]. But Motor Imagery could not increase 10MWS [MD=4.24, 95% CI (-3.23, 11.71), P=0.27], average step length of paretic side [MD=-3.20, 95% CI (-10.33, 3.93), P=0.38] and average step length of non-paretic side [MD=1.36, 95% CI (-3.00, 5.71), P=0.54]. Conclusion: Motor Imagery is effective to improve Stride Length, FMA-LE and FAC scores. While it cannot increase 10MWS, average step length of paretic side and non-paretic side. Multicenter and large sample RCTs are still needed to confirm the effects of Motor Imagery on walking function in stroke patients.

Key words: Motor Imagery; stroke; hemiplegia; Meta-analysis