Graded Motor Imagery (GMI)

Pain is the body's way of helping us identify danger and protect ourselves. However, in certain circumstances such as Phantom Limb Pain, there is no danger.

Graded Motor Imagery aims to combat that by 'retraining' the brain to think of pain in a different way, and realise that there is no danger.

Graded Motor Imagery is completed in three stages.

• Implicit Motor Imagery
  This focuses on left/right discrimination of the painful body part.
• Explicit Motor Imagery
  By imagining moving the painful phantom limb, the brain uses areas similar to those used for actual movements.
• Mirror Visual Feedback
  This works by giving the brain visual feedback, therefore potentially reducing pain.

Our GMI programme

To go ahead with this treatment you will need to commit to attending all outpatient sessions and completing exercises at home between sessions.

We will book you into at least seven weekly one-hour sessions. The first session will be an initial assessment, including finding out about your pain and completing a pain score, so we can monitor your pain levels and see if the treatment is working effectively. The exercises will begin at your second session.

Following these sessions, we will ask you to attend a follow-up appointment six months later.

If you would like to begin this treatment, or have any further questions please contact us.

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