Phantom Sensations Influenced by Global and Local Modifications of the Prosthetic Socket as a Potential Solution for Natural Somatosensory Feedback During Walking: A Preliminary Study of a Single Case.
Lisa Bachini, Stéphane Liszez, Serge Mesure and 5 others
PMID 36188906WHAT IT FOUND
For one transfemoral amputee, a pressure patch inside the prosthetic socket changed phantom sensations into dynamic cues that varied with the gait cycle.
The participant preferred this setup, and heel strike and toe-off angles shifted, though the link between sensation and gait remains unclear.
Key findings
01A patch inside the socket created dynamic phantom calf sensations that varied systematically with the phases of the gait cycle.
02The participant strongly preferred the semi-rigid socket with the patch, which also produced the largest heel strike and toe-off angles.
03The study cannot confirm whether the changes in gait parameters were caused by the restored phantom sensations or by the mechanical modifications to the socket itself.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the findings cannot be generalized to other amputees. The study did not include a control group of amputees without phantom sensations, making it impossible to separate the effects of the sensory feedback from the mechanical changes to the socket. Ethical approval was not obtained for this pilot, which limits the rigor of the oversight. The researchers could not determine if the gait changes were caused by the improved sensation or if the participant altered his gait to generate the sensation he liked.
Declared interests
The authors declared no commercial or financial conflicts of interest. Open access publication was funded by the Institute of Movement Sciences.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that modifying a socket to induce phantom sensations will improve gait efficiency or quality for all amputees. The changes in gait parameters observed here could be due to mechanical differences in the socket rather than the sensory feedback, and the study did not measure whether the walking became easier or safer.