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Recognise Hand app

An app for people with complex regional pain syndrome or phantom limb syndrome.
Recognise Hand app is best used under the guidance of a health professional.

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Recognise Hand app	By Noigroup
	Features Memory and ‘speed match’ tools. Graded difficulty levels. Personal best challenges. Displays results and graphs. Image capture.
Clinical review	Read a clinical review below.
Security and privacy	Does the app: Collect medical information? Unknown Require a login? No Have password protection? No Have a privacy policy? Not apparent Require internet access to use? No Read more about safety and security when using apps. Brochures: Tips to improve your privacy and security [PDF, 65 KB] Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ
Cost	Paid
How to get the app	(external link) (external link)

Recognise Hand app is for people with complex regional pain syndrome or phantom limb syndrome. The app helps the user improve on discrimination between left and right of a painful body part. This is the first stage of graded motor imagery, a form of brain training that can reduce pain in certain types of conditions.

For a complete app description, go to the App Store(external link), Play Store(external link), or, for a more detailed review, see reviews below.

(Neuro Orthopaedic Institute, Australia, 2017)

PROS	CONS
✔ Assists in the first phase of graded motor imagery (left/right discrimination). ✔ Uses gamification principles to make the treatment fun. ✔ Three game types: left right discrimination, memory game, and speed match with adjustable settings. ✔ You can take photos of your own body parts to use for testing. ✔ Tracks and graphs your results. ✔ Export results into a CSV formation (best opened in spreadsheet software).	✘ Not a complete graded motor imagery course. It has brief descriptions of all three stages of the therapy but only assists with the first stage (left/right discrimination). ✘ It doesn’t tell you which cards you got wrong. ✘ Could do with more comprehensive information on how to use the app. ✘ Need to pay for each body part and they are sold separately. Costs $11.99 with no free version. ✘ Although I didn’t have any bugs during my testing, many users have reported frequent crashes across all the different “recognise” apps. Many reviewers stated that the developer was unresponsive, and it was also apparent that they hadn’t replied to any of the negative reviews. ✘ Not referenced.

PROS

CONS

✔ Assists in the first phase of graded motor imagery (left/right discrimination).

✔ Uses gamification principles to make the treatment fun.

✔ Three game types: left right discrimination, memory game, and speed match with adjustable settings.

✔ You can take photos of your own body parts to use for testing.

✔ Tracks and graphs your results.

✔ Export results into a CSV formation (best opened in spreadsheet software).

✘ Not a complete graded motor imagery course. It has brief descriptions of all three stages of the therapy but only assists with the first stage (left/right discrimination).

✘ It doesn’t tell you which cards you got wrong.

✘ Could do with more comprehensive information on how to use the app.

✘ Need to pay for each body part and they are sold separately. Costs $11.99 with no free version.

✘ Although I didn’t have any bugs during my testing, many users have reported frequent crashes across all the different “recognise” apps. Many reviewers stated that the developer was unresponsive, and it was also apparent that they hadn’t replied to any of the negative reviews.

✘ Not referenced.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Jeremy Steinberg, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: July 2019
Platform: Apple
Version: 1.0.6
Comments: Graded motor imagery is an intervention for certain types of chronic pain syndromes like CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) and phantom limb syndrome. There is some evidence to support its use in these conditions. Graded motor imagery has three stages:

Left/right discrimination (where you train your brain to discriminate between left and right)
Imagined movements (imagine moving your affected body part)
Mirror imagery (moving your unaffected limb in front of a mirror to trick your brain that you are moving your affected limb)

This app has brief descriptions of all three stages but only assists you with the first stage which is unfortunate. There is further information on the website(external link)(external link) . Overall it is a helpful but incomplete app for one single body part. Additionally, it appears that many users encountered frequent crashes. On android you have 15 minutes to get an unconditional refund so you may want to test it on your phone within this timeframe to see if your phone is affected. You can view a demonstration of the app here(external link)(external link) and a comprehensive FAQ page here(external link)(external link).
Safety concerns: None.
New Zealand relevance: Relevant.

Consumer guide: how to choose a health app
Clinicians guide: how to choose a health app
Graded motor imagery apps
Chronic pain | Mamaenga roa
Phantom pain

References

Wajon A. Recognise Hands app for graded motor imagery training in chronic pain.(external link) Journal of Physiotherapy, 2014
Moseley GL. Is successful rehabilitation of complex regional pain syndrome due to sustained attention to the affected limb? A randomised clinical trial.(external link) Pain. 2005 Mar;114(1-2):54-61.

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Factsheets – using health apps safely

How to choose a health app
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

Privacy and security tips for using health apps
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

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Recognise Hand app