CAREER: Neuromotor Adaptations for Successful Transtibial Amputee Gait: Interactions with Limb Loading and Prosthetic Design Characteristics

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

0346514 Neptune More than 400,000 lower-limb amputees now live in the United States, with millions more throughout the world. Current empirical approaches to prosthetic design have led to very limited improvement in objective measures of amputee gait performance, primarily because these approaches cannot identify the complex interactions between the prosthetic design characteristics and the resulting gait performance. The research plan seeks to establish a scientific framework for improving ambulatory function in transtibial amputees by using advanced musculoskeletal modeling and dynamic simulations of amputee gait to 1) identify the various neuromotor adaptations used by successful amputees, 2) identify the consequences of using these neuromotor adaptations on limb loading, and 3) to understand how limb loading is affected by the interactions between these adaptations and specific prosthetic design characteristics. Limb loading is an important clinical problem in amputee populations because of the prevalence of discomfort and pain in the intact and residual limbs, which leads to a higher incidence of degenerative joint disease compared to non-amputees and greatly limits their quality of life. The proposed studies will provide the necessary foundation for developing new foot-ankle prostheses that reduce limb loading and the onset of secondary joint disorders. Working prototypes of the prostheses will be generated using advanced manufacturing techniques and a comprehensive clinical gait analysis will be used to assess their performance. The education plan seeks to integrate the PI's research program in Biomechanics with recent advances in learning science to inspire an excitement for engineering in middle school through graduate students and improve the quality of engineering education. Recent studies in learning science, instruction design and assessment techniques will be utilized to develop 1) a new graduate course in Biomedical Device Design and Evaluation emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach to formulating research and development projects aimed at Aiding Persons with Disabilities, and 2) a project-centered undergraduate course on the Biomechanics of Human Movement. In addition, a set of biomechanics-based projects for a summer outreach program with the Society of Women Engineers at UTAustin will be developed to encourage 6th and 7th grade girls to cultivate an interest in math, science and engineering through hands-on activities and team challenges.