Article

The use of vibration as a feedback modality to convey motion of the body has been
shown to improve measures of postural stability in some groups of patients.
Because individuals using transtibial prostheses lack sensation distal to the
amputation, vibratory feedback could possibly be used to improve their postural
stability. The current investigation provided transtibial prosthesis users (n =
24, mean age 48 yr) with vibratory feedback proportional to the signal received
from force transducers located under the prosthetic foot. Postural stability was
evaluated by measuring center of pressure (CoP) movement, limits of stability,
and rhythmic weight shift while participants stood on a force platform capable of
rotations in the pitch plane (toes up/toes down). The results showed that the
vibratory feedback increased the mediolateral displacement amplitude of CoP in
standing balance and reduced the response time to rapid voluntary movements of
the center of gravity. The results suggest that the use of vibratory feedback in
an experimental setting leads to improvements in fast open-loop mechanisms of
postural control in transtibial prosthesis users.

Langue : ANGLAIS