Study of Phantom Limb Sensations and Prosthetic Socket Changes to Improve Walking in Adults With Lower Limb Amputations

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate how phantom limb sensations PLS can help improve walking in people who have had lower-limb amputations. When a limb is amputated, the loss of sensory feedback makes walking more mentally demanding and can cause imbalances that lead to other health problems. The study explores whether natural or artificially induced phantom sensations, especially those triggered by prosthetic socket modifications, can act as sensory feedback to enhance walking quality. Participants include people with transtibial or transfemoral amputations and asymptomatic volunteers. The study involves multiple testing phases comprehensive gait analysis using sensors, EMG, force plates, motion capture, EEG, and questionnaires mapping of referred sensations on the residual limb brain activity recording during stimulation and evaluation of socket modifications on phantom sensations and walking performance over several sessions. Participants will experience various socket conditions, including local pressure points, and provide feedback on their sensations and walking experience. Throughout the study, participants will undergo detailed assessments such as walking tests in lab and real-world settings, cognitive load evaluations, muscle activity analysis, and interviews about phantom limb sensations. Sensory maps and brain responses will be tracked initially and after 6 months. Researchers will measure walking speed, step symmetry, muscle co-activation, subjective preference for socket conditions, and changes in phantom sensation intensity. The study duration varies with follow-up visits occurring up to six months after initial testing.

Uses of Phantom Sensations Induced by Global and Local Modifications of the Prosthetic Socket as Somatosensory Feedback During Walking in Lower Limb Amputees