BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the treatment of phantom limb pain with mirror therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Randomised controlled studies were identified by a systematic search strategy in the databases "Medline" and "The Cochrane Library". The studies were evaluated using the quality criteria of the JADAD-scale. RESULTS: Three small-sized randomised controlled studies were identified. Unfortunately, these studies lacked methodological quality. One of them found a significant decrease of phantom pain after four weeks of daily mirror therapy sessions. Two other studies could not find a significant difference in the reduction of phantom limb pain between intervention- and control-groups. To date, there is only circumstantial evidence for mirror therapy in phantom pain. Hence, no firm recommendations regarding this treatment option are possible. CONCLUSION: More sufficiently powered randomised controlled studies with high methodological quality are mandatory to investigate the analgesic effect of mirror therapy in phantom limb pain.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the treatment of phantom limb pain with mirror therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Randomised controlled studies were identified by a systematic search strategy in the databases "Medline" and "The Cochrane Library". The studies were evaluated using the quality criteria of the JADAD-scale. RESULTS: Three small-sized randomised controlled studies were identified. Unfortunately, these studies lacked methodological quality. One of them found a significant decrease of phantom pain after four weeks of daily mirror therapy sessions. Two other studies could not find a significant difference in the reduction of phantom limb pain between intervention- and control-groups. To date, there is only circumstantial evidence for mirror therapy in phantom pain. Hence, no firm recommendations regarding this treatment option are possible. CONCLUSION: More sufficiently powered randomised controlled studies with high methodological quality are mandatory to investigate the analgesic effect of mirror therapy in phantom limb pain.
Authors: Brenda L Chan; Richard Witt; Alexandra P Charrow; Amanda Magee; Robin Howard; Paul F Pasquina; Kenneth M Heilman; Jack W Tsao Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2007-11-22 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: M Tinazzi; G Zanette; A Polo; D Volpato; P Manganotti; C Bonato; R Testoni; A Fiaschi Journal: Neurosci Lett Date: 1997-02-14 Impact factor: 3.046
Authors: Burkhard Pleger; Martin Tegenthoff; Peter Schwenkreis; Frank Janssen; Patrick Ragert; Hubert R Dinse; Birgit Völker; Michael Zenz; Christoph Maier Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2004-01-27 Impact factor: 1.972
Authors: Hunter G Hoffman; David A Boe; Eric Rombokas; Christelle Khadra; Sylvie LeMay; Walter J Meyer; Sam Patterson; Ann Ballesteros; Stephen W Pitt Journal: J Hand Ther Date: 2020-05-30 Impact factor: 1.950