Today I am trying out my mirror box, again. You will see that I use it in a slightly non-standard way. If one understands, and has experienced the brain being “tricked”, I believe all sorts of new an exciting uses for the mirror-box can be found. While it is normally used for movement of a limb, here I am using it to stimulate the feeling in my foot, thereby appeasing the horrible pins and needles (paraesthesia) I get. Ultimately, the correct interpretation of the sensations occur in the brain, of course, not in the foot itself. Mirror therapy adapted for sensation
The above links to a little video clip I just improvised.
My hope is that hearing how others use it, and sharing ideas, might lead to better therapy. Let me know if anyone else uses a mirror box, and how.
Cheers, Roland
@pando you mentioned in the topic below that it was a shame this post & that weren’t linked - or words to that affect. So i’ve copied in the link below. Hope thats ok. If not let me know & I’ll remove it.
Hi Roland @pando,
I just watched your video, really great to hear and see you rather than just exchanging messages .
As mentioned on the hand therapy thread, I was going to look out a spare mirror tile that I’ve got somewhere to try this for myself but noted the rather natty set-up that you’ve got.
Could you let me know what make it is or where you got it from because it looks like a great bit of kit.
@pando many thanks, I’ll look to see if I can find the NOI mirror elswhere
@Nigelglos what about a relatively cheap “full length mirror” such as the below from Dunelm - alternatively just search for “Cheval Mirror” as these are normally centrally hinged so that you can easily adjust.
Yes, I have 3 speeds. Low constant hum, like electricity, or static of some kind. Then regular stronger-than your average pins n needles, and finally, a raw angry nerve that has gone hyper sensitive. This can be screaming raw pain, and usually last 3-4 seconds. Right now it’s the low-key hum
The more accurately you can make it look the faster and easier it will be for your brain to accept the trick. After using it a while, I find that I am readily accepting and even eager for my brain to be tricked, and I believe a slight sloppy setup works fine at that stage. I found some half coconuts on Amazon at a price, so new ideas brewing.
Today, I have to setup my wife’s new computer ; trying to import her 939 contact address book exported as CSV or VCF from 12 years ago. Failing miserably, so using Excel to sort out fields. Joy (not!)
Hi @pando
You’ve actually got that backward Roland
It’s normally used for the treatment of phantom limb pain - normal in the sense that the idea of mirror therapy originated in the successful treatment of pain in missing limbs. That has to be neuropathic pain because there isn’t any physical limb to be experiencing the pain in.
My understanding would suggest that your mirror size will be compromising your results.
I believe that you need to create an illusion that is moderately (wholly?) convincing. Where I have seen others use mirror therapy for relief of neurological symptoms in the lower limb they have had a mirror the whole length of their leg and have sat on the floor such that They see themselves of having two legs. So the extension for #StrokeWarriors would be the whole of your affected region would be replaced by the mirror image of the working limb.
I know that you will find the major write-ups of mirror therapy in the amputee community and they will be especially on point for your usage
I haven’t yet read the rest of this thread but have it bookmarked to return to later
Exactly; the physiotherapists have seen a technique and reinterpret it for their discipline - 99% movement.
It is a technique that was initially exclusively about pain .
Thus it is described for two uses now - both have unique components and they share some components. There is some minor confusion about what characteristics support which mode of recovery.
Using mirror therapy for both modes in one person should not be a surprise but I haven’t seen it talked about outside of our circle.
I think therefore that we have greater clarity of vision about potential uses. If the SA was more listening and facilitating then we could look to them to help us confirm and or spread awareness - something to give to a community coordinator? Fingers crossed
that it is really convincing… I don’t find any struggle there; I believe my left foot IS my right foot,
further, when I feel with my left, I believe my right foot is feeling the carpet,
it also appeases the paraesthesia (but also causes it, initially)
I am confident it is working very well… but can I improve on my current techniques? probably yes.
ciao, good luck with hand, Roland
Mirror therapy is more common in the US than the UK
I think if your weak hand experiences some sensation, yes, that will cause interference
(I put a sock or 2 on my foot to eliminate this interference)
Yes, if the left hand can copy the movements, absolutely do, it will help the illusion
It does matter ; if it’s relatively easy to achieve, go for the best illusion possible
I agree everything Roland said.
You’re not overthinking it
and
the physical sensations will spoil the illusion if you’re trying to kid the brain about movement
but
I think you aid the illusion if you’re trying to convince the brain that the good feeling is in the affected limb
Yes, when when you move closer to the mirror the sensations seems to come from the mirror. When I use the mirror I quickly believe my affected foot is feeling the carpet just fine… this because my good foot is feeling it fine but I easily get confused about which side is receiving the quality sensations. I totally think my right is feeling the carpet, but it’s my left that is feeling it. Luckily, I am easily fooled. Don’t play me at poker, please
There is an element of luck in backgammon, and if 2 players are of equal skill, luck is the only thing that will distinguish between the two. However, there is a huge amount of skill, strategy, and experience involved, which is why there is a ranking system, and the world’s best player, Masayuki Mochizuki has the lowest error rating in
the world, and wins more tournaments than anybody else, by far.
I used to play on a site called Heroes
The other site which is quite popular is called Backgammon Galaxy
I don’t play online any more.
.
