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The Role of Visual Attention and Environmental Complexity in Real-world Mobility for People With Lower Limb Amputation

17. september 2026 oppdatert av: Virginia Commonwealth University

Despite high medical expenses (>$500K/patient), mobility improvements achieved during rehabilitation for people with lower limb amputation (LLA) fail to translate into improved real-world outcomes. Even with advances in prosthesis technology enabling faster gait speed, greater walking endurance, and improved mobility confidence, people with LLA report persistent dissatisfaction with real-world mobility, limited ability to walk in the community, and difficulty achieving recommended physical activity levels.

Real-world walking requires thinking and moving simultaneously (e.g., cognitive-motor dual-tasking), visually attending to the environment, and navigating varying terrain. In contrast, clinical mobility assessments are usually performed without additional visual or cognitive demands, in controlled environments, and on level surfaces. Current clinical tools used to assess ambulation progression during rehabilitation do not adequately assess these changes in people who have experienced LLA.

Studieoversikt

Detaljert beskrivelse

A step toward rectifying a critical gap in care for those with LLA by quantifying the effect of vision-based and non-vision-based cognitive-motor dual-tasking and high and low complexity terrain on gait speed and gaze behavior. Cognitive-motor dual-task assessment paradigms are well-established in other populations and often used to better approximate real-world walking demands. However, the type of cognitive task used is an important factor. The most common methods for dual-task assessment in people with LLA are limited to cognitive tasks lacking overt visual attention (e.g., serial subtraction - performing repeated subtractions from a given starting number).Although walking while performing non-vision-based cognitive tasks results in slower gait speed than single-task walking, this type of task has limited ecological validity and the observed dual-task performances have not been associated with real-world walking outcomes.

Performing vision-based cognitive-motor dual-tasks is particularly important for people with LLA. Due to lost somatosensory input from the amputated limb, the central nervous system increases dependence on visual input for sensorimotor integration. As a result, people with LLA report needing to "concentrate on every step", and affix their gaze on each subsequent step compared to 3 steps ahead like adults without LLA.

Current clinical assessments fail to detect impairments during mobility tasks requiring visual attention in complex environments. The lack of understanding of the interaction between visual attention and complex environment precludes a comprehensive mobility assessment, allows undetected impairments to persist, and limits translation of rehabilitation gains into improved real-world mobility outcomes.

Studietype

Observasjonsmessig

Registrering (Antatt)

30

Kontakter og plasseringer

Denne delen inneholder kontaktinformasjon for de som utfører studien, og informasjon om hvor denne studien blir utført.

Studiekontakt

Studiesteder

    • Virginia
      • Richmond, Virginia, Forente stater, 23239
        • Rekruttering
        • Virginia Commonwealth University
        • Ta kontakt med:
        • Hovedetterforsker:
          • Paul Kline

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

18 år og eldre (Voksen, Eldre voksen)

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Kjønn som er kvalifisert for studier

Alle

Prøvetakingsmetode

Sannsynlighetsprøve

Studiepopulasjon

We will compare gait speed (Aim1) and gaze behavior with eye-tracking glasses (Aim 2) during vision-based (visual puzzles) and non-vision-based (serial subtraction) cognitive-motor dual-tasking while walking on low and high complexity terrain in people with LLA (n=20) and matched controls (n=10).

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • unilateral transtibial LLA of either dysvascular (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and/or infection) or traumatic etiology
  • 18 years old minimum
  • able to ambulate 2 minutes without rest
  • 9 months since LLA
  • fitted with terminal prosthesis
  • 20/60 vision or better (with or without glasses/contacts)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • congenital or cancer-related LLA
  • ankle-level or above LLA on the contralateral limb
  • residual limb wound or contralateral foot ulcer
  • unstable heart condition (including unstable angina, uncontrolled cardiac dysrhythmia, acute myocarditis, hypertension, and acute pericarditis)
  • acute systemic infection
  • prisoner
  • inability to follow a 3-step command
  • concussion/brain injury in the past 12 months
  • active cancer treatment
  • preexisting neurological condition (i.e., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease)
  • participating in prosthetic rehabilitation
  • color-blindness
  • history of seizure(s)
  • inability to read and communicate in English.

Participants in the control group must meet the non-amputation-related criteria noted above, be within ±2 years and the same biological sex as their paired participants with LLA.

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

  • Observasjonsmodeller: COHORT
  • Tidsperspektiver: PROSPECTIVE

Kohorter og intervensjoner

Gruppe / Kohort
Intervensjon / Behandling
Subjects with Lower Limb Amputation (LLA)

20 participants with below knee amputation.

Assessment of accelerometry: Daily duration (minutes) of sitting, standing, stepping, Daily step count, Daily walking bouts stepping cadence, Timed Up and Go and Two-minute Walk Test

Comprehensive assessment of eye movements during walking including Target Fixation Time (seconds; %) and Number of fixations

The following assessments will be completed: World health organization disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS), and Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale.

Matched Control

10 sex- and age-matched control participants.

Assessment of accelerometry: Daily duration (minutes) of sitting, standing, stepping, Daily step count, Daily walking bouts stepping cadence, Timed Up and Go and Two-minute Walk Test

Comprehensive assessment of eye movements during walking including Target Fixation Time (seconds; %) and Number of fixations

The following assessments will be completed: World health organization disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS), and Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale.

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Gait Analysis-Walking Speed
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Measure walking speed meters/second. Captured during dual-task and single-task walking, it is used to measure motor performance. Normal Speed: Healthy adults usually walk at 1.2 to 1.4 meters per second.Fall Risk: A speed below 1.0 meter per second shows a higher risk for falls.Frailty Warning: A speed below 0.6 to 0.8 meters per second suggests a high risk of functional decline or disability.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Gait Analysis-Stride Length
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Measure the stride length in meters. stride length is the total distance covered during one full cycle of walking or running with the same foot. It measures the space from where one foot touches the ground to when that exact same foot touches the ground again.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Gait Analysis-Stride length asymmetry
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Assess Stride length asymmetry is an imbalance where the distance covered by the right and left steps differs. Symmetry Index (SI): Compares spatial step metrics or temporal single-limb support times between limbs.Percentage difference: Calculated by contrasting mean left and right step values; values exceeding 10% typically indicate notable dysfunction.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Cognitive Task Performance Cognitive Task Performance
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Accuracy (percentage correct) of each cognitive task. This reflects cognitive performance and is measured in both dual-task and single-task conditions.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Cognitive Task Performance
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Measure Response time (milliseconds)

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Functional Mobility (Two-minute Walk Test)
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Two-minute Walk Test measures the total distance a person can walk on a flat, hard surface within two minutes. It evaluates functional mobility, submaximal endurance, and self-paced walking capacity in adults. Recorded to the nearest meter or foot using a measuring wheel, and lap count.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Functional Mobility (Timed Up and Go)
Tidsramme: Visit 1

Timed Up and Go (TUG) test measures functional mobility, dynamic balance, and fall risk by timing how fast a person stands from a chair, walks 3 meters (10 feet), turns around, walks back, and sits down. Under 10-12 seconds: Normal, independent mobility with low fall risk.12-20 seconds: Moderate risk of falling or subtle mobility issues; requires further evaluation.Over 14-20 seconds: High risk for falls; often indicates difficulty moving outside alone or a need for assistive devices.

Visit 1
Eye Tracking (Target Fixation Time)
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Target Fixation Time (seconds; %), The length of time the eye remains relatively still on a target to process detail, reflecting visual attention.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Eye Tracking (Number of fixations)
Tidsramme: Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)

Number of fixations is a core metric measuring how many times a person's eyes pause and focus on a specific area or object. High Fixation Count: indicates frequent attention on an area or element. Low Fixation Count: Means an element was quickly passed over, easily understood, or ignored.

Visit 1 and visit 2 (which will take place 10-14 days after visit 1)
Patient Reported Outcomes (Houghton Scale)
Tidsramme: Visit 1

The Houghton Scale assesses a person's confidence and ability in using their prosthesis safely and effectively during everyday mobility tasks. The Houghton Scale is a self-administered, 4-item questionnaire used to assess the functional use of a prosthesis by individuals with lower-limb amputations.It measures how often a patient wears their prosthesis, the types of activities they perform with it, and their perceived stability in various outdoor environments. Total scores range from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating greater prosthesis use and independence

Visit 1
Patient Reported Outcomes (PEQ - Mobility subscale)
Tidsramme: Visit 1

PEQ - Mobility subscale is the The Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire - Mobility subscale, captures a person's self reported ability to move and perform daily activities while using their prosthesis. It uses a 5-point ordinal scale (0-4). 0: Not able or hardly able to 4: No problem or almost fully able. The total scale ranges from 0 to 48. A higher score indicates greater mobility.

Visit 1
Patient Reported Outcomes (WHODAS)
Tidsramme: Visit 1

WHODAS The World health organization disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS) evaluates how health conditions impact a person's functioning and participation across major life domains over the past 30 days. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale: None (0), Mild (1), Moderate (2), Severe (3), and Extreme or Cannot Do (4). While no universal "cut-off" exists, scores placing a patient in the top 10% of the population distribution-roughly >10 for the 12-item simple score or >41 for the 36-item version-likely indicate significant impairment.

Visit 1
Patient Reported Outcomes (Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale)
Tidsramme: Visit 1

Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale is a self-report instrument used to measure an individual's confidence in maintaining balance while performing 16 various daily activities. Unlike performance-based tests, it captures the patient's perceived ability to avoid falling or becoming unsteady.Patients rate their confidence for each item on a scale from 0% (no confidence) to 100% (complete confidence). The higher the score,the higher the function and physical activity (range > 80% high function, 50% - 80% moderate function and < 50% low function.

Visit 1
Accelerometry (Daily duration of sitting, standing, stepping)
Tidsramme: Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)

Daily duration (minutes) of sitting, standing, and stepping reported as an aggregate mean.

Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)
Accelerometry (Daily step count)
Tidsramme: Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)

Daily step count will be measured and reported as an aggregate mean.

Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)
Accelerometry (Daily walking bouts stepping cadence)
Tidsramme: Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)

Daily walking bouts stepping cadence will be reported as an aggregate mean

Between Visit 1 and 2 (which is 10-14 days after visit 1)

Samarbeidspartnere og etterforskere

Det er her du vil finne personer og organisasjoner som er involvert i denne studien.

Etterforskere

  • Hovedetterforsker: Paul Kline, Virginia Commonwealth University

Studierekorddatoer

Disse datoene sporer fremdriften for innsending av studieposter og sammendragsresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter og rapporterte resultater gjennomgås av National Library of Medicine (NLM) for å sikre at de oppfyller spesifikke kvalitetskontrollstandarder før de legges ut på det offentlige nettstedet.

Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Faktiske)

25. oktober 2025

Primær fullføring (Antatt)

31. mai 2027

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

31. mai 2027

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

14. september 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

17. september 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

21. september 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

21. september 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

17. september 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. september 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Andre studie-ID-numre

  • HM20030568

Denne informasjonen ble hentet direkte fra nettstedet clinicaltrials.gov uten noen endringer. Hvis du har noen forespørsler om å endre, fjerne eller oppdatere studiedetaljene dine, vennligst kontakt register@clinicaltrials.gov. Så snart en endring er implementert på clinicaltrials.gov, vil denne også bli oppdatert automatisk på nettstedet vårt. .

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