Effects of Early Sleep After Action Observation and Motor Imagery After Metacarpal Fracture Surgery

The study aimed to investigate the effects of early sleep after action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training sessions on manual dexterity in patients with hand immobilization after surgical fixation for metacarpals and phalanges fractures. Fifty-one patients with hand immobilization for surgical fixation of IV or V metacarpals or first phalanges fractures will be randomized into AOMI-sleep (n=17), AOMI-control (n=17), and Control (n=17) group. AOMI-sleep and AOMI-control groups will perform an AOMI-training before sleeping or in the morning respectively, while Control group will be asked to observe landscape video-clips. Participants will be assessed for manual dexterity, hand range of motion, hand disability and quality of life at baseline before and after the training and at 1 month after the training end.