Mirror Therapy for MS Foot Drop

When it comes to the treatment of multiple sclerosis, I’ve long been a believer in a multi-discipline approach. Obviously, a good neurologist is critical in fighting the disease. However, our fight against MS shouldn’t stop there. It’s important to attack the illness on other fronts as well. Physical, occupational, and speech therapists, along with a good mental health professional, can be incredibly valuable to someone with MS.

While many of the latest medications elicit excitement and news, I feel it’s important to talk about some of the breakthroughs in these other disciplines as well. The results of a 2020 study have shown potential promise in tackling the dreaded symptom of foot drop in MS patients. Already an established form of therapy for stroke patients, mirror therapy could be beneficial to those with MS as well, according to this study.^1,2

What is mirror therapy?

Mirror therapy is a form of rehabilitation that has been helpful to both patients that have had strokes or lost limbs. The affected area, let’s say a left foot, is placed behind a mirror with the functional right foot in front of the mirror (there are actually “mirror boxes” built specifically for this therapy, that allow one limb to be hidden with a mirror for the functional limb). Moving the functional foot while looking at its mirror image gives your brain the illusion that the left foot is moving. This can actually trick the brain and help stimulate the areas that would normally control that left foot.¹

MS and foot drop

The results of the study published in December 2020 have shown that mirror therapy could potentially be effective when combating the symptom of foot drop in those with MS. Researchers found that doing various ankle exercises while using a mirror box led to greater improvement when compared to people not using mirror therapy. Those using mirror therapy ended up with greater mobility and functionality and an overall improvement in their foot drop.²  While this was a small trial, I think the results are encouraging and could lead to this technique seeing greater use among MS patients.

Physical therapy

While mirror therapy hasn’t seen widespread use for MS patients yet, it might in the future. The publishing of this  study is a fantastic reminder of the importance that physical therapy can have in the fight against MS. We’ve had some great new disease-modifying therapies come out in recent years. However, even with these therapies, we still suffer from the previous damage caused by MS. That’s why it can be good to remember to look at other disciplines, like physical therapy, to help us alleviate our symptoms. Pretty soon, mirror therapy may be one more tool that a therapist can use to help us in the fight against foot drop.

Thanks so much for reading and always feel free to share!

Devin

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