Enhancing Motor Function in Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation Through Peer-Based Balance and Fall Recovery Skill Training
The overall goal of this research project is to investigate the effectiveness and the science of peer-based prosthetic skill training in individuals with leg amputation. Our belief is that amputee learners will show improved skill learning when observing demonstrations from other amputees, as opposed to observing nonamputee models. The investigators will accomplish the objective by answering the following two questions: Question 1: Does peer-based observation training works better for learning motor tasks for individuals with lower limb amputation (LLA)? Question 2: Are there differences in visual focus, behavior, and brain activation patterns when observing motor task demonstrations from amputee peers vs. non-amputees? Participants of this study will be asked to learn a balance and a fall recovery task by observing video demonstrations by amputee peers vs. non-amputees. The investigators will compare which setting produce better learning.
• 1\) have unilateral lower limb amputation,
• 2\) age \>18 years,
• 3\) are properly fitted with a walking prosthesis and use it regularly with at least moderate proficiency (K-2 level or above, further defined as scoring greater than 50 percentile on the Prosthetic Limb Users Survey of Mobility),
• 4\) able to stand for at least 5 minutes without using an assistive device or experiencing excessive fatigue,
• 5\) willing to travel to UNLV 6 times for training and testing.