Impact of Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis Leg on Everyday Community Mobility and Social Interaction

NCT ID: NCT03204513

Last Updated: 2025-04-06

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

15 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-12-31

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The overall goal of this research is to determine the efficacy of new powered prosthetic devices for individuals with transfemoral amputations. The anticipation is that this will be a high-impact technological intervention with the potential to restore significant functionality to individuals with lower limb amputation and transform the field of lower limb prosthetics. The objective of the proposed clinical trial is to fully evaluate the biomechanical and energetic effects of using PKA prosthesis and quantify functional performance and quality of life changes.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The overall goal of this research is to bring powered devices, with suitable advanced control systems, to the clinic and home. The anticipation is that this will be a high-impact technological intervention with the potential to restore significant functionality to individuals with lower limb amputation and transform the field of lower limb prosthetics.

The objective of the proposed clinical trial is to fully evaluate the biomechanical and energetic effects of using a powered knee-ankle prosthesis, identify task-specific training strategies for every-day device use, and quantify functional performance and quality of life changes at home and in the community. The hypothesis is that the powered knee-ankle prosthesis will demonstrate a significant improvement in function over existing technology. Furthermore, the hypothesis is that incorporating neural control information will provide enhanced, intuitive control of this device. Thus the approach is to directly compare the powered device with current state-of-art passive microprocessor controlled (MP) prostheses using a randomized cross-over study to control for subject-specific variation.

1.1 Aim 1: Perform in-laboratory training and testing to compare gait biomechanics and clinical performance over several ambulation modes using either a passive prosthesis or a powered prosthesis. The expectation is the PKA prosthesis to enable gait kinetics and kinematics that more closely resemble those of individuals with intact limbs, therefore lowering the biomechanical and metabolic effects of ambulation.

1.2 Aim 2: Perform home trials to evaluate community mobility and social interaction when using a powered knee-ankle prosthesis or a passive device. The expectation is that participants will choose to complete more diverse functional, occupational, and recreational activities when using the PKA prosthesis.

1.3 Aim 3: Quantify performance with the PKA device when using a novel intent recognition algorithm that allows for seamless transitioning between activities compared to a standard control method. The expectation is that pattern recognition- based control will further improve mobility and decrease the physiological costs of ambulation compared to using the standard control method.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Transfemoral Amputees

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Upon screening and enrollment participants return for up to 8 prosthetic fitting sessions and up to 12 physical therapy training sessions using their own microprocessor (MP) knee prosthesis and the powered knee-ankle (PKA) prosthesis. Once training is complete participants will return for up to 6 post-training assessment sessions per device. The device participants begin with will be randomly selected but there will be equal opportunity to train with both devices. In between training, there will be an 8 week "wash out period" to allow normalization to use of the device, reducing carryover effects. After wash-out period protocol will be repeated with second device.
Primary Study Purpose

DEVICE_FEASIBILITY

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Vanderbilt Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis

Upon screening and enrollment participants return for up to 8 prosthetic fitting sessions and up to 12 physical therapy training sessions using the Vanderbilt Powered Knee-Ankle (PKA) Prosthesis. Once training is complete participants will return for up to 6 post-training assessment sessions using the Vanderbilt Powered Knee-Ankle (PKA) Prosthesis. The device participants begin with will be randomly selected but there will be an equal opportunity to train with both devices. In between training, there will be an 8 week "wash out period" to allow normalization to use of the device, reducing carryover effects. After wash-out period protocol will be repeated with second device.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vanderbilt Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Vanderbilt powered prosthesis is a transfemoral prosthesis with powered and coordinated knee and ankle joints. The Generation 3 prosthesis is actuated by two brushless direct current (DC) motors, providing up to 100 Nm of torque at the knee joint, and with the assistance of a parallel stiffness, up to 200 Nm in plantar flexion at the ankle. Sensors measure knee and ankle joint angles, axial load in the shank, and position and orientation of the prosthesis in space (via a 6-axis inertial measurement unit). An onboard lithium-ion battery provides sufficient energy for approximately 10,000 steps between battery charges. The prosthesis prototype weighs approximately 4.3 kg (9.5 lb), the mass of which is approximately equivalent to the intact limb of a 48 kg (105 lb) person.

Microprocessor (MP) Knee Prosthesis

Upon screening and enrollment participants return for up to 8 prosthetic fitting sessions and up to 12 physical therapy training sessions using their own Microprocessor (MP) Knee Prosthesis. Once training is complete participants will return for up to 6 post-training assessment sessions using the Microprocessor (MP) Knee Prosthesis. The device participants begin with will be randomly selected but there will be an equal opportunity to train with both devices. In between training, there will be an 8 week "wash out period" to allow normalization to use of the device, reducing carryover effects. After wash-out period protocol will be repeated with second device.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Microprocessor (MP) Knee Prosthesis

Intervention Type DEVICE

Participants enrolled will already have their own microprocessor controlled (MP) non-powered knee prostheses as per inclusion criteria. Examples: OttoBock's C-Leg, Ossur's Rheo, Freedom Plie, Endolite Orion,etc.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Vanderbilt Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis

The Vanderbilt powered prosthesis is a transfemoral prosthesis with powered and coordinated knee and ankle joints. The Generation 3 prosthesis is actuated by two brushless direct current (DC) motors, providing up to 100 Nm of torque at the knee joint, and with the assistance of a parallel stiffness, up to 200 Nm in plantar flexion at the ankle. Sensors measure knee and ankle joint angles, axial load in the shank, and position and orientation of the prosthesis in space (via a 6-axis inertial measurement unit). An onboard lithium-ion battery provides sufficient energy for approximately 10,000 steps between battery charges. The prosthesis prototype weighs approximately 4.3 kg (9.5 lb), the mass of which is approximately equivalent to the intact limb of a 48 kg (105 lb) person.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Microprocessor (MP) Knee Prosthesis

Participants enrolled will already have their own microprocessor controlled (MP) non-powered knee prostheses as per inclusion criteria. Examples: OttoBock's C-Leg, Ossur's Rheo, Freedom Plie, Endolite Orion,etc.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

PKA Prosthesis Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Unilateral transfemoral level limb loss or limb difference
* K2/K3/K4 level ambulators
* Required to use a microprocessor knee on their prosthesis

Exclusion Criteria

* Over 250 lbs body weight
* Inactive, physically unfit
* Cognitive deficits or visual impairment that would impair their ability to give informed consent or to follow simple instructions during the experiments
* Pregnant women
* Co-morbidity that interferes with the study (e.g. stroke, pace maker placement, severe ischemia cardiac disease, etc.)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Arun Jayaraman, PT, PhD

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Arun Jayaraman, PT, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

STU00200842

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Computer Assisted Total Knee Replacement
NCT00279838 COMPLETED PHASE4
Knee Arthroplasty Registry
NCT01132365 UNKNOWN