Home-based Rehabilitation Intervention for Phantom Limb Pain in Veterans With Lower Limb Amputations

Launched by VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT · Oct 24, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new way to help Veterans who have had a lower limb amputation and experience a painful sensation known as phantom limb pain (PLP). PLP is when someone feels pain in a leg or foot that is no longer there, and it affects many Veterans, impacting their daily lives. The researchers are working on a mobile app designed for a technique called graded motor imagery, which may help reduce this pain. They will first test this app with a small group of 12 Veterans to see how well it works and if they find it acceptable, and then they will expand the study to 36 Veterans.

To be part of this study, participants must be military Veterans, at least 18 years old, and have had their leg amputated below the knee for more than a year. They should also experience moderate to severe phantom limb pain. Participants must be in stable health and able to use a personal device for telehealth activities. Those with certain medical conditions or mental health issues may not be eligible. If you join the study, you can expect to use the app at home and share your experiences, which will help guide future research and potentially improve the quality of life for Veterans dealing with this type of pain.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Must be a military Veteran
• • At least 18 years old;
• • \>1 year since unilateral below knee amputation;
• • Moderate or severe (NRS score 4 on a 0-10 scale) PLP;
• • Stable medications over the past 2 weeks;
• • Willing and able to give informed consent; and
• • Able to participate in the telehealth study activities with a personal device.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Unstable medical conditions (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, heart failure exacerbation);
• • Unstable mental illness or substance use disorder (e.g., active suicidality or psychosis); and
• • Unable to give informed consent due to a cognitive impairment.
• • Other neuropathic pain conditions (i.e., complex regional pain syndrome-like symptoms).