At EP3 in Adelaide in 2016, Lorimer spoke for about 10 minutes on the practical status of GMI, in particular interpreting Left/Right Discrimination findings. This is a revealing session that may help many with their practical questions on GMI. Graded Motor Imagery is a maturing treatment. We used to call it ‘embryonic’ to acknowledge its limited evidence support and to protect it from those who wanted to use it as a simple and superficial treatment for complex problems. We now feel confident in calling it a ‘toddler’.
Once seen as a last resort treatment option for CRPS and Phantom limb pain, GMI is becoming mainstream for these states, and is increasingly being explored in pain states once thought to be based solely on peripheral pathology such as carpal tunnel syndrome and knee and hand arthritis.
Stay tuned – left right discrimination may even emerge as a routine evaluation for the precision and competency of brain representations.
-David Butler
All new Recognise Apps available now
All six Recognise Apps are now available for iOS and Android via the App Store and Google Play. Simply search for Recognise (with an ‘s’) in the appropriate store on your smartphone or tablet.
I am assessing around half of my patients (in a general outpatient PT setting) with the apps at this point. They seem to be providing valuable information and are quick to use. If I find an apparent deficit, I prescribe home use of them. I should get some Recognise stock, I think!
Thanks Erik,
I know we need more research here, but having tools such as left/right discrimination Apps and two point discrimination, which look as though they may be measuring aspects of representational changes adds an objective element to assessment. It powers up educational interventions too! I do it routinely now.
Cheers
David