Systematic review of Spanish outcome measures on motor imagery ability: use in physical rehabilitation

Motor imagery is a mental representation of movement without any body movement and its training accelerates motor learning and improves motor skills. A thorough understanding of how to manipulate mental images is necessary before using motor imagery in physical rehabilitation. This systematic review analyzes the psychometric properties of the outcome measures on motor imagery ability for the Spanish-speaking people and discusses its usefulness in people with motor disabilities. A review was conducted, using the COSMIN checklist to appraise 19 articles on measurement properties of motor imagery ability assessments found in reviewed databases. The criteria for grading the usefulness of instruments to measure motor imagery was established depending on the sensory modality assessed. We found 17 questionnaires. Methodological quality was mostly fair in reliability and validity. Four tests have been considered highly useful in assessing motor imagery. MIQ (alpha = 0.90; EFA=2) and MIQ-R (alpha = 0.84; EFA=2) are the best suited to evaluate motor imagery in Spanish-speaking population. To handle spatial images, MASMI (alpha = 0.93) or MARMI (alpha = 0.90) tests may be more beneficial. MIQ and MIQ-R evaluate visual and kinesthetic imagery, but these are difficult to use in the physical rehabilitation of people with motor disabilities. Currently, there are no valid Spanish translations of studies regarding motor imagery outcome measures for people with disabilities.