Mental Practice for Gait Improvement

Mental practice (MP) aims to improve motor performance through mental movement training, and its potential is being demonstrated in several areas. This chapter aims to provide a general understanding of MP and the main evidence on gait improvement in neurological disorders. The literature considers that MP activates cognitive and motor components, promoting motor learning through an internal control model. It has been considered as a promising tool in gait rehabilitation in stroke survivors, people with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The findings so far are positive, suggesting further investigations, since there are still gaps in knowledge due to methodological heterogeneity and diversity in the characteristics of the samples currently.