Restoration of Reduced Self-Efficacy Caused by Chronic Pain through Manipulated Sensory Discrepancy

Abstract-- Human physical function is governed by selfefficacy, the belief in one's motor capacity. In chronic pain patients, this capacity may remain reduced long after the damage causing the pain has been cured. Chronic pain alters body schema, affecting how patients perceive the dimension and pose of their bodies. We exploit this deficit using robotic manipulation technology and augmented sensory stimuli through virtual reality technology. We propose a sensory stimuli manipulation method aimed at modifying body schema to restore lost selfefficacy. Pharmaceuticals alone cannot cure this complex condition, which is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors [1].