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

NCT ID: NCT05818410

Last Updated: 2025-02-24

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

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-01-16

Study Completion Date

2028-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study evaluates brain neuroplasticity and functional performance in people with unilateral lower limb amputation.

Detailed Description

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The researchers will investigate the beneficial effect of a passive prosthetic ankle (Lunaris®) on functional physical performance, brain neuroplasticity and movement patterns compared to conventional prosthetic feet and able-bodied individuals.

The clinical trial will comprise four test days for participants with a lower limb amputation and two days for the control group of able-bodied individuals.

The able-bodied individuals will undergo an MRI scan at the University Hospital Brussels (dpt. Radiology and Magnetic Resonance) and perform functional performance tests.

Participants with a lower limb amputation will start the clinical trial upon the start of their rehabilitation. At week 0, when initiating the rehabilitation, participants will undergo a baseline MRI scan at the University Hospital Brussels (dpt. Radiology and Magnetic Resonance). Then, they will be allocated to the intervention arms (Lunaris® or the SACH foot®) and will conduct their rehabilitation to learn to walk with a prosthesis. At the end of the rehabilitation, after 12 weeks, participants will perform baseline functional performance tests, fill out the prosthetic evaluation questionnaire (PEQ) measuring the quality of life. Between weeks 12 and 24 of the clinical trial (i.e. intervention period), participants will perform their daily activities with the allocated prosthesis. During weeks 12 - 24, trying out new prosthetic devices will be allowed within the group of individuals wearing the SACH foot® as this is considered the usual care. At the end of this period (after week 24), the post-test assessment will take place and participants will undergo the same MRI and functional performance tests and fill out the PEQ as during the baseline assessments to evaluate the changes that occurred. Additionally, participants will be asked to fill out the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology. The 12-week intervention period is chosen based on a study examining the effect of 12 weeks of balance training in healthy and older adults on neuroplasticity and the accommodation time to walking with a new prosthesis.

Conditions

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Lower Limb Amputation Below Knee (Injury)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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New prosthesis

20 participants will be fitted with the Lunaris foot and follow the protocol

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Prosthetic device (Lunaris)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Participants with an amputation will conduct experiments with the prosthetic device

Standard prosthesis

20 participants will be fitted with the SACH foot and follow the protocol

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Prosthetic device (Sach foot)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Participants with an amputation will conduct experiments with the prosthetic device

Control group of able-bodied individuals

20 able-bodied individuals will be recruited to enable comparison with both groups of participants with lower limb amputation

Group Type OTHER

No prosthetic device

Intervention Type OTHER

Able-bodied individuals will conduct experiments to enable comparison with the participants with amputation

Interventions

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Prosthetic device (Lunaris)

Participants with an amputation will conduct experiments with the prosthetic device

Intervention Type DEVICE

No prosthetic device

Able-bodied individuals will conduct experiments to enable comparison with the participants with amputation

Intervention Type OTHER

Prosthetic device (Sach foot)

Participants with an amputation will conduct experiments with the prosthetic device

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Unilateral transtibial (below knee) amputation
* Healthy subject
* Medicare Functional Classification Level: K3-4

Exclusion Criteria

* Any neurological disease
* Upper limb or bilateral amputation
* Osso-integration
* Metal implants
* Diabetes
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Vrije Universiteit Brussel

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Kevin De Pauw

Prof. Dr.

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Kevin De Pauw

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Locations

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Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Brussels, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Belgium

Central Contacts

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Kevin De Pauw

Role: CONTACT

+32 (0)2 629 27 53

Elke Lathouwers

Role: CONTACT

+32 (0)2 629 27 06

Facility Contacts

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Elke Lathouwers

Role: primary

References

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Cox PD, Frengopoulos CA, Hunter SW, Sealy CM, Deathe AB, Payne MWC. Impact of Course Configuration on 6-Minute Walk Test Performance of People with Lower Extremity Amputations. Physiother Can. 2017;69(3):197-203. doi: 10.3138/ptc.2016-24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Howard CL, Wallace C, Perry B, Stokic DS. Comparison of mobility and user satisfaction between a microprocessor knee and a standard prosthetic knee: a summary of seven single-subject trials. Int J Rehabil Res. 2018 Mar;41(1):63-73. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000267.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29293160 (View on PubMed)

Windrich M, Grimmer M, Christ O, Rinderknecht S, Beckerle P. Active lower limb prosthetics: a systematic review of design issues and solutions. Biomed Eng Online. 2016 Dec 19;15(Suppl 3):140. doi: 10.1186/s12938-016-0284-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Russell Esposito E, Aldridge Whitehead JM, Wilken JM. Step-to-step transition work during level and inclined walking using passive and powered ankle-foot prostheses. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2016 Jun;40(3):311-9. doi: 10.1177/0309364614564021. Epub 2015 Jan 27.

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Mahon CE, Hendershot BD. Biomechanical accommodation to walking with an ankle-foot prosthesis: An exploratory analysis of novice users with transtibial limb loss within the first year of ambulation. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2022 Oct 1;46(5):452-458. doi: 10.1097/PXR.0000000000000124. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

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Reference Type BACKGROUND

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Lathouwers E, Tassignon B, Maricot A, Radwan A, Naeyaert M, Raeymaekers H, Van Schuerbeek P, Sunaert S, De Mey J, De Pauw K. Human-Prosthetic Interaction (HumanIT): A study protocol for a clinical trial evaluating brain neuroplasticity and functional performance after lower limb loss. PLoS One. 2024 Mar 21;19(3):e0299869. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299869. eCollection 2024.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38512879 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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EC-2023-089

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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