Laterality Training and Pain Drawings

Participants complete a structured laterality training session using a tablet-based application that presents images of hands or feet. Depending on their pain location (shoulder or knee), participants identify whether each image shows a left or right body part. The session consists of 5 one-minute training bouts with 60-second rest intervals between each. The task is designed to engage and retrain cortical body maps associated with the painful region, based on principles of graded motor imagery. Participants are instructed to prioritize accuracy over speed.

Participants in this arm will complete a non-therapeutic cognitive activity by working independently on a standard word-based crossword puzzle for 10 minutes. This task is designed to match the duration and engagement level of the laterality training without influencing sensorimotor processing or cortical body maps. It serves as a sham comparator to help isolate the specific effects of the laterality training intervention.