Abstract
Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) experience distressing changes in body perception. However representing body perception is a challenge. A digital media tool for communicating body perception disturbances was developed. A proof of concept study evaluating the acceptability of the application for patients to communicate their body perception is reported in this methods paper. Thirteen CRPS participants admitted to a 2-week inpatient rehabilitation program used the application in a consultation with a research nurse. Audio recordings were made of the process and a structured questionnaire was administered to capture experiences of using the tool. Participants produced powerful images of disturbances in their body perception. All reported the tool acceptable for communicating their body perception. Participants described the positive impact of now seeing an image they had previously only imagined and could now convey to others. The application has provided a novel way for communicating perceptions that are otherwise difficult to convey.
Highlights
Changes in body perception can occur following peripheral injuries, or central nervous system damage (Halligan et al, 1993; Fraser, 2002; Moseley, 2005, 2008; Lewis et al, 2007; Antoniello et al, 2010)
Communicating altered body perception can be challenging for patients and assessing the changes over time is difficult for clinicians
This paper describes a usability and acceptability evaluation of the prototype 3D tool for communicating body perception in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Summary
Changes in body perception can occur following peripheral injuries, or central nervous system damage (Halligan et al, 1993; Fraser, 2002; Moseley, 2005, 2008; Lewis et al, 2007; Antoniello et al, 2010). Communicating altered body perception can be challenging for patients and assessing the changes over time is difficult for clinicians The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate a digital media application for communicating changes in body perception with a view to providing a useful tool for clinical practice. To achieve this aim, we required a model condition where body perception is significantly altered. Altered body perception is commonly experienced in CRPS and has been well described (Galer and Jensen, 1999; Förderreuther et al, 2004; Moseley, 2005; Lewis et al, 2007)
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