Imagined physiotherapy and actual treatment both reduced knee pain scores
People with knee osteoarthritis reported less pain after imagined or actual physiotherapy. The abstract describes a larger reduction with imagery, without quantifying the difference.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Both groups reported lower pain scores after the intervention period, and the abstract describes a larger decrease in the mental imagery group. Participants using imagery also responded faster on a visual recognition task. Without numerical effect sizes or a reported statistical comparison between groups, the extent of any advantage remains unclear.
The abstract provides no pain effect sizes, confidence intervals, or longer follow-up. It does not report whether the difference in pain improvement between groups was statistically significant.
What researchers found
Pain intensity on a visual rating scale
After 10 days, imagery showed a larger reported decrease than actual physiotherapy; the between-group effect size and uncertainty were not supplied.
What participants compared
One group received ultrasound, electrical stimulation through the skin, hot packs, and knee exercises. The other mentally imagined those treatments. Pain was assessed with a visual rating scale, rather than through measures of joint structure.
A separate visual task
The visual test involved recognizing face-like patterns in images. Reaction times became faster in the imagery group and remained unchanged in the treatment group. This task result does not establish a general improvement in cognition.
The original publication
Mental Imagery Enhances Pain Reduction and Visual Processing in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Comparative Study.
Akdeniz G, Tığlı K, Akıncı NE et al.
Pain Res Manag · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40740591
- Record checked
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