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The Role of Visual Attention and Environmental Complexity in Real-world Mobility for People With Lower Limb Amputation
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
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.
About the study
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.
What is being tested
- Comprehensive assessment of walking patterns and functional mobility (other)
- Comprehensive assessment of eye movements during walking (other)
- Questionnaire Assessments completed (other)
Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University · Participants: 30 · Started: Oct 25, 2025
Contact the study team
- Paul Kline · Phone: 804-828-4483
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07831707
Locations in the U.S.
| Virginia | Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond |
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 2, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.