Mirror Illusion Training and Cross-education

Exercise Therapy Clinical Trial

Official title:

Mirror Illusion Training to Improve Contralateral Arm Strength

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Enrolling by invitation

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05084690
• Other study ID #: 2021-102
• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 19, 2021
• Est. completion date: August 19, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: October 2021
• Source: Texas Christian University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Cross-education describes the transfer of motor performance to the opposite limb following unilateral training and is primarily explained by adaptations within the brain. The mirror training hypothesis suggests that illusionary mirror visual feedback may augment the cross-education of strength to the untrained, contralateral limb. The purpose of this project is to examine how the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback shapes the neuromuscular adaptations that occur for both limbs during unilateral (single-limb) strength training. Our hypothesis is that mirror training will augment the level of cross-education for the untrained arm.

Description:

Recent empirical evidence shows a heightened level of strength transfer with the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback, but this was shown for the small muscles of the wrist during isokinetic training. It is unknown if larger, multi-joint muscles respond favorably to mirror training in practical settings. A randomized controlled study design will allocate approximately 20 participants into two groups. One group will perform unilateral strength training with illusionary mirror visual feedback (Mirror) and the other will perform the same unilateral strength training but without a mirror (No-Mirror). The intervention will involve four weeks of unilateral strength training performed twice weekly at high intensities (>80%1RM).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: August 19, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: August 19, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 35 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• right-hand dominance

• no previous strength training of upper body last 3 months

• no injuries or recent surgeries of the upper limbs

• willingness to adhere to the strength training requirements of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• current use of hormone replacement therapy

• pregnancy/breastfeeding

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Exercise Therapy
• Weight Lifting

Intervention

Other:
• Unilateral resistance training
Unilateral resistance training of the elbow flexors
• Illusionary mirror visual feedback
Modified Ramachandran's mirror box

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	TCU Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory	Fort Worth	Texas
United States	TCU RIC	Fort Worth	Texas

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Texas Christian University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in dynamic muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm	Dynamic 1-repetition maximum (lbs)	Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Primary	Change in isometric muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm	Isometric maximal voluntary contraction	Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Primary	Change in lean mass for the trained and untrained arm	DEXA (g)	Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
Primary	Change in muscle thickness for the trained and untrained arm	Ultrasound muscle thickness (cm)	Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
Primary	Change in muscle activation for the trained and untrained arm	Electromyographic amplitude (volts)	Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)