Objective To explore the effect of improved mirror training on upper extremity motor disorders in patients with cerebral infarction and to compare the effect of general mirror training. Methods From December 2018 to December 2019, 80 patients with hemiplegia due to cerebral infarction were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of traditional Chinese medicine. They were divided into experimental group (modified mirror training group) and control group (general mirror training group) by computer random method, 40 cases in each group. Both the experimental group and the control group followed the basic treatment and nursing plan. On the basis of this plan, the experimental group used the improved mirror training, and the control group used the general mirror training. The FMAUE, Brunnstrom and MBI were evaluated before and 4 weeks after the intervention. Results After 4 weeks of intervention, FMAUE, Brunnstrom score and MBI score of hemiplegia in the two groups were significantly higher than those before intervention, and the scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion The improved mirror image training and general mirror image training based on the theory of body cognition can promote the recovery of upper limb motor function of hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction safely and effectively, and accelerate the rehabilitation process of upper limb Brunnstrom stage exercise, so as to further improve their ability of daily life activities. Moreover, the effect of improved mirror training based on the theory of body cognition on upper limb motor function and overall rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction is significantly better than that of general mirror training.