Vol. 33 No. 2 (2026), Review
Vol. 33 No. 2 (2026)

Motor imagery and its application in patients with musculoskeletal pain: a review of effects and underlying mechanisms

Review
Published 2026-07-24
Ferran Cuenca Martínez
Grupo de Investigación en Salud Biopsicosocial (BPS-Health). Departamento de Fisioterapia. Universidad de Valencia, España
Enrique Velasco Serna
Laboratory of Ion Channel Research. Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. KU Leuven, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Neuroscience in Physiotherapy (NiP). Elche, Spain
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Keywords

Motor imagery
musculoskeletal pain
neurophysiology

Abstract

The primary aim of this review was to explore the current state of the art of motor imagery (MI) and its application in the context of musculoskeletal pain. By examining studies in this field, we aimed to investigate both the effects and the potential underlying mechanisms of MI-based interventions. In addition to discussing its effectiveness, the review seeks to understand how MI may influence nociceptive processing and pain, with the goal of providing valuable insights into its therapeutic potential and guiding the development of targeted clinical interventions.

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