Lower limb amputation causes segmental loss that alters locomotor organization. The human body, designed to function in a multisegmental manner, must adapt to this new configuration where segments are missing, depending on the level of amputation. These adaptations are directly linked to the biomechanical, physiological and proprioceptive alterations caused by the loss of the amputated segments. Without mechanoreceptive afferents essential for regulating locomotion, the sensory system uses alternative information to maintain efficient locomotor function. The prosthesis partially compensates, but remains limited on the biomechanical and proprioceptive levels. Current prosthetic technologies, inspired by biomimicry, aim to imitate evolutionary solutions to restore walking, although current algorithms do not allow real-time modulation. This research aims to characterize post-amputation locomotor adaptations through biomechanical, physiological and proprioceptive exploration to develop a "locomotor characterization" model. The study authors hypothesize that the post-amputation alterations are exacerbated in contexts of continuous and discontinuous constraints (e.g., ascent/descent and destabilization), and that the addition of a prosthesis, although inspired by biomimicry, only restores partial compensation of locomotor functions.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
75
Amputees and controls will be equipped with measurement sensors to record spatio-temporal, kinetic, kinematic, pressure, electromyographic and physiological parameters of gait in the movement analysis laboratory (GRAIL System). 16 Anatolog FSR sensors will be installed in the amputee population (transtibial, transfemoral on the medial, lateral, anterior and posterior parts of the stump, 4 per side, aligned in the proximal/distal axis. The Anatolog sensors have a sampling frequency of 100Hz. Electromyographic data recording is performed by setting up a number of EMGs depending on the healthy population or the level of amputation. Surface electromyography (sEMG) signals will be recorded from 10 muscles on each lower limb for control subjects and transtibial amputees
Energy consumption (VO2), will be performed using the VO2 Master Pro (VO2 Master Health Sensors Inc., Vernon, British Columbia, CA). Each participant will wear a face mask connected to the VO2 Master, which will measure oxygen consumption in real time during the assessment. The mask will be adjusted to prevent air leakage and ensure accurate measurements.
For amputees, the joint above the amputation will be measured due to the presence of the proximal insertions of the bi-articular muscles and the absence of their distal insertion (i.e., knee joint for transtibial amputees and hip joint for transfemoral amputees).
CHU de Nîmes
Nîmes, France
RECRUITINGLocomotor adaptations induced by amputations on inter-segmental coordination by the evaluation of continuous relative phases under different walking conditions
MARP (Mean Absolute Relative Phase) index of Continuous Relative Phases (movement analysis) where MARP = 0 indicates perfectly synchronization in both segments throughout the gait cycle and elevated MARP indicates poor coordination between the segments
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Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on the impact of locomotor constraints such as inclinations on the explanation of muscular synergies under different walking conditions
Muscle synergy explanation index
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Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on the extent of locomotor constraints such as inclinations on the explanation of muscular synergies under different walking conditions
Number of muscle synergies
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Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on the variability of pressure distributions in the socket under different walking conditions
Variability of pressures in the socket measured with high-pressure Force-Sensing Resistor sensor. The variability will be determined according to the standard deviation of all 16 pressures measured during a walking cycle.
Time frame: Day 0
Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on oxygen consumption under different walking conditions
Average VO2 in the final 30 seconds of walking (mL/mn/kg)
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Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on energy consumption under different walking conditions
Cost of the task defined by the difference in O2 consumption during walking compared to O2 consumption at rest.
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Locomotor adaptations induced by amputations on heart rate under different walking conditions
Beats per minute
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Characterize the proprioceptive deficits induced by amputations on the angular precision of the joints
Reduction of the angular matching error, where the unilateral angular positioning error is measured as the difference in angular data between the reference angle and the estimated angle
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Characterize the proprioceptive deficits induced by amputations on movement perception
Angular displacement detection threshold (°)
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Characterize the proprioceptive deficits induced by amputations on response time
Response time for angular matching (ms)
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Characterize the proprioceptive deficits induced by amputations on angular displacement
Angular displacement direction detection (%)
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Identify a method for restoring proprioceptive deficits via modulation of the "optimal" frequency and amplitude
Proprioception index (average of the different errors and detection thresholds)
Time frame: Day 0
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