OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of mirror feedback on upright stance control in elderly transfemoral amputees. DESIGN: Before and after intervention trials. SETTING: University medical bioengineering laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Elderly transfemoral amputees (N=12). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were asked to stand upright, as immobile as possible, in 2 Eyes-open and Mirror-feedback experimental conditions. The latter experimental condition consisted of supplying the participants with their frontal reflection by positioning a mirror in front of them. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight-bearing symmetry and the displacements of the center of foot pressure under the nonaffected limb and the prosthetic limb. RESULTS: Mirror feedback did not modify weight-bearing symmetry and had different effects on the center of foot pressure displacements under the nonaffected limb and prosthetic limb: a decreased center of foot pressure surface area was observed in the Mirror-feedback condition relative to the Eyes-open condition under the nonaffected limb, whereas no significant difference between the Eyes-open condition and the Mirror-feedback condition was observed under the prosthetic limb. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that elderly transfemoral amputees were able to integrate augmented visual biofeedback through the use of mirror-reflected body image to improve their upright stance control. The present findings could have implications for clinical practice and rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of mirror feedback on upright stance control in elderly transfemoral amputees. DESIGN: Before and after intervention trials. SETTING: University medical bioengineering laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Elderly transfemoral amputees (N=12). INTERVENTIONS:Participants were asked to stand upright, as immobile as possible, in 2 Eyes-open and Mirror-feedback experimental conditions. The latter experimental condition consisted of supplying the participants with their frontal reflection by positioning a mirror in front of them. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight-bearing symmetry and the displacements of the center of foot pressure under the nonaffected limb and the prosthetic limb. RESULTS: Mirror feedback did not modify weight-bearing symmetry and had different effects on the center of foot pressure displacements under the nonaffected limb and prosthetic limb: a decreased center of foot pressure surface area was observed in the Mirror-feedback condition relative to the Eyes-open condition under the nonaffected limb, whereas no significant difference between the Eyes-open condition and the Mirror-feedback condition was observed under the prosthetic limb. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that elderly transfemoral amputees were able to integrate augmented visual biofeedback through the use of mirror-reflected body image to improve their upright stance control. The present findings could have implications for clinical practice and rehabilitation.