OBJECTIVE: To evaluate possible alteration in proprioceptive and cutaneous sensibility in the nonamputated leg of unilateral transtibial amputees. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with between-subjects (amputees vs controls) and within-subjects (nonamputated vs amputated leg) comparisons. SETTING: Canadian rehabilitation hospital research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Two groups of amputees (34 due to traumatic causes, 14 due to vascular causes), recruited more than 1 year after their prosthetic training; and 2 groups (n=34, n=14) of age-matched control subjects. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Threshold of movement detection and touch-pressure perception at the knee and foot levels. RESULTS: In the traumatic group, the sensory thresholds of the nonamputated leg were significantly higher than the control values in the 2 modalities tested. The movement detection was reduced at the knee and ankle levels, whereas a decrease in touch-pressure sensibility was observed only at the plantar site. As expected, a large proportion of the vascular amputees presented with severe sensory deficits in the nonamputated leg, particularly a loss in touch-pressure perception at the foot. The thresholds of movement detection were similar and correlated at both knees in the 2 groups of amputees. For the touch-pressure thresholds, no significant relationship was found between sides at the knee level. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory changes observed in the nonamputated leg suggest that central sensory adaptations occur after amputation. For movement detection, they were marked by a matching of perception on both sides of the body. Functional significance of these changes remains to be determined.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate possible alteration in proprioceptive and cutaneous sensibility in the nonamputated leg of unilateral transtibial amputees. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with between-subjects (amputees vs controls) and within-subjects (nonamputated vs amputated leg) comparisons. SETTING: Canadian rehabilitation hospital research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Two groups of amputees (34 due to traumatic causes, 14 due to vascular causes), recruited more than 1 year after their prosthetic training; and 2 groups (n=34, n=14) of age-matched control subjects. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Threshold of movement detection and touch-pressure perception at the knee and foot levels. RESULTS: In the traumatic group, the sensory thresholds of the nonamputated leg were significantly higher than the control values in the 2 modalities tested. The movement detection was reduced at the knee and ankle levels, whereas a decrease in touch-pressure sensibility was observed only at the plantar site. As expected, a large proportion of the vascular amputees presented with severe sensory deficits in the nonamputated leg, particularly a loss in touch-pressure perception at the foot. The thresholds of movement detection were similar and correlated at both knees in the 2 groups of amputees. For the touch-pressure thresholds, no significant relationship was found between sides at the knee level. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory changes observed in the nonamputated leg suggest that central sensory adaptations occur after amputation. For movement detection, they were marked by a matching of perception on both sides of the body. Functional significance of these changes remains to be determined.
Authors: Kyle T Miller; Molly Russell; Terese Jenks; Kaddie Surratt; Kelly Poretti; Samantha S Eigenbrot; Jonathan S Akins; Matthew J Major Journal: J Prosthet Orthot Date: 2020-08-11
Authors: Matthew J Major; Chelsi K Serba; Xinlin Chen; Nicholas Reimold; Franklyn Ndubuisi-Obi; Keith E Gordon Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-01-30 Impact factor: 4.379