Human-Prosthetic Interaction: Brain & Technology After Lower-Limb Loss

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying brain neuroplasticity and functional performance in people who have lost one lower limb below the knee. The study compares the effects of using a passive prosthetic ankle (Lunaris) with a conventional prosthetic foot (SACH foot) and also includes a control group of able-bodied individuals for comparison. The goal is to understand how different prosthetic devices influence brain changes and movement patterns after amputation. Participants with lower limb amputation will begin the study at the start of their rehabilitation. They will receive either the Lunaris prosthetic foot or the SACH foot and learn to walk with it over 12 weeks. During this time, those with the SACH foot may try other new prosthetic devices as part of usual care. Able-bodied participants will undergo MRI scans and functional performance tests on two separate days. After the 12-week learning phase, participants with amputation will continue to use their assigned prosthesis for an additional 12 weeks while performing daily activities, with final assessments at week 24. All participants will undergo MRI brain scans and perform functional tests at baseline and after the intervention period to measure changes in brain neuroplasticity and physical performance. Participants with amputation will also complete questionnaires about their quality of life and satisfaction with their prosthetic devices. The study includes four test days for participants with amputation and two days for able-bodied individuals. This approach helps researchers monitor brain and movement changes over 24 weeks and evaluate how different prosthetic devices affect outcomes.

Human-Prosthetic Interaction: Brain & Technology After Lower-Limb Loss