Individual differences in response to phantom limb movement therapy

Abstract

Purpose. Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a distressing condition experienced by many amputees. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether motor imagery could be used to treat PLP.

Method. Four single case studies were conducted. The participants kept a pain diary in which they recorded the intensity of their PLP during a baseline period, general motor imagery training, phantom limb movement therapy and a follow-up period. Qualitative and quantitative (i.e. interrupted time series) analyses were employed to determine whether phantom limb movement therapy had a significant effect on PLP intensity.

Results. Phantom limb movement therapy significantly reduced intensity of PLP in one participant. One participant gained occasional relief by doing phantom limb movement therapy exercises but did not experience an overall reduction in PLP intensity. The third participant did not experience any relief and the fourth participant reported experiencing the re-emergence of an old pain.

Conclusion. The results display individual differences in response to phantom limb movement therapy. Individual differences are discussed in the context of motor imagery ability and the phantom limb phenomenon as a multi-dimensional disorder.

Keywords:

• Phantom limb pain
• motor imagery
• phantom limb movement therapy
• amputation
• lower limb

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the National Disability Authority of Ireland for supporting this research.