Personalisation of Prosthetic Care for Lower-Limb Amputees - V.0.6
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the Biomechanical and Psychological Mechanisms that Underpin Lower Back Pain among Persons with Lower-Limb Amputation
IRAS ID
321729
Contact name
Alexandra Withey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Studies yield conclusive findings on the biomechanical characteristics of the gait of persons with lower-limb amputation wearing a prosthetic limb, however there are discrepancies between the variables analysed by different studies and the parameters that may predict the development of secondary pain conditions, such as lower back pain, knee osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and best functional outcomes are unknown.
Lower back pain and joint pain can be a symptom of musculoskeletal diseases among persons with lower-limb amputation and can influence one's gait and functional outcomes. Although the association between lower-limb amputation and lower back pain is clear, understanding the timings, the propagators and mechanisms related to lower back pain among persons with lower-limb amputation is important to inform care management and rehabilitation programmes. Currently, there is a gap in the literature regarding the role of key determinants on functional outcomes among persons with lower-limb amputation and when they start appearing. Also, it is not clear what is the association between biomechanical gait parameters, muscle activations and pain. Further multidisciplinary research is required to investigate the relationship between different forms of pain among persons with lower-limb amputation and biomechanical gait variables, and how these change over time. This knowledge can then be used to form a prognosis of functional outcomes among persons with lower-limb amputation and appropriate rehabilitation programmes can be developed for different populations of amputations.
This project aims to identify the determinants of lower back pain among persons with traumatic and vascular unilateral lower-limb amputation, over a period of 12-months after their amputation. Additionally, the relationships between gait characteristics, trunk and lower-limb muscle activations and different sources of pain will be investigated. This information will be used to identify the predictive characteristics of the musculoskeletal diseases, such as lower back pain, and will inform future care management and rehabilitation processes.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0090
Date of REC Opinion
25 Apr 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion