Home-based therapy for managing phantom limb pain in Veterans with amputations
Official title: Home-based rehabilitation intervention for phantom limb pain in Veterans with lower limb amputations
Funded at Minneapolis VA Medical Center · NIH-11010375 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a friendly mobile app to help Veterans with lower limb amputations manage phantom limb pain using fun exercises that train the brain, and we want to hear from them to make sure the app works well for their needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Minneapolis VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2RX004805-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11010375 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Veterans with lower limb amputations who experience moderate to severe phantom limb pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have lower limb amputations or do not experience phantom limb pain may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a mobile app to help Veterans with lower limb amputations manage phantom limb pain (PLP) through a technique called graded motor imagery (GMI). The approach involves training the brain to recognize the missing limb through exercises that include limb laterality training, motor imagery, and mirror therapy. Veterans will participate in interviews to provide feedback on the app, which will be refined based on their experiences to ensure it meets their needs. The goal is to create an effective, user-friendly tool that can be used at home to alleviate pain and improve rehabilitation outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide Veterans with a convenient and effective way to manage phantom limb pain, enhancing their quality of life and rehabilitation success.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using graded motor imagery techniques for pain management, indicating potential success for this novel application in a mobile format.
Where this research is happening
-
Minneapolis VA Medical Center
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rich, Tonya L — Minneapolis VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Rich, Tonya L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Home brain stimulation plus guided touch for phantom limb pain
This project sees if a portable brain stimulation device combined with guided touch exercises can lower phantom limb pain for people who have lost a limb.
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Home-based rehabilitation for phantom limb pain using a mobile app
A mobile app offers guided graded motor imagery exercises to help Veterans with lower-limb amputations manage phantom limb pain at home.
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Understanding what causes phantom limb pain after amputation
This study is looking at what causes phantom limb pain in people who have had an amputation, and it involves talking to those individuals to better understand their experiences and gather real-time feedback to help create more personalized treatments.
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Training the brain to reduce phantom limb pain
This study is testing a new, gentle therapy to help people who have lost a limb feel less phantom limb pain by training their brains to better process sensations.
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Neuropathic pain after childhood amputation
This project sees how common phantom and residual limb neuropathic pain is and how it affects children and teens who had limb amputations.
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Effects of magnetic stimulation on phantom limb pain in amputees
This study tests if using magnetic stimulation can help reduce phantom limb pain in people who have had upper limb amputations.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.