Therapeutics
Carlos Alberto Montes Monroy, MS
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician
Del Prado Medical Tower
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Andrea Isabel Rivera Martinez, MD
MD
IMSS
Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Maria del Carmen Hernandez Valencia, MD
MD
IMSS
Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico
A randomized, prospective clinical trial included 60 patients with unilateral lower-limb amputation and phantom limb pain, randomized to mirror therapy or phantom limb exercises. Both groups completed a standardized amputee exercise program plus their assigned intervention at home for four weeks. Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and non-parametric analyses were performed.
Results:
Both interventions produced significant within-group reductions in pain and phantom limb sensation (p < 0.001). Mirror therapy showed greater clinical improvement; however, no significant between-group differences were observed for pain (p = 0.103) or phantom limb sensation (p = 0.431). No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: Both mirror therapy and phantom limb exercise programs resulted in significant reductions in phantom limb pain and phantom limb sensation after four weeks of intervention. Although mirror therapy showed a greater clinical magnitude of pain reduction, no statistically significant superiority was observed between interventions. These findings support the use of both approaches as effective, safe, low-cost, and home-based strategies within multimodal rehabilitation programs for individuals with unilateral lower-limb amputation.
