What is Graded Motor Imagery?

GMI is an effective treatment paradigm that is becoming increasingly used to address chronic pain and Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Through "training your brain," graded motor imagery is able to aid in treating your pain and regaining function in a three-step process:

1. Left-right discrimination: Patient is shown images and must distinguish between left and right limb
2. Explicit motor imagery: Patient is tasked with mental imagery of affected limb moving without actually moving it
3. Mirror therapy: Patient views unaffected limb in mirror while keeping the one in pain out of sight; after observing the mirror image, the patient will gradually start to move the unaffected limb while watching the reflection in the mirror - in addition to your brain being tricked into thinking that your opposite limb is moving, you are also believing that the pain is not as severe.