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RecruitingNCT06419920PROSPERUpdated Jun 23, 2026

Prosthetic Performance Enhancement Trial

An interventional study of Flat terrain locomotor training and Uneven terrain locomotor training in Amputation, Lower Limb Amputation Below Knee (Injury) and Lower Limb Amputation Above Knee (Injury), sponsored by University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-23.

Sponsored by University of Nevada, Las Vegas · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jun 2025; still recruiting 1 year 4 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
35
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this research is to determine the feasibility of an uneven terrain walking program for lower limb prosthesis users. The training is designed to induce step-to-step variability during walking within a safe environment, with the aim of improving walking skill and confidence.

Read the detailed description

Despite advances in the technology for artificial limbs (prostheses), falling and the fear of falling continue to be barriers to mobility for many lower limb prosthesis users after their initial rehabilitation. The loss of ability and confidence in pursuing everyday tasks negatively impacts quality of life, and ongoing physical and mental health. This study will test and improve a rehabilitation training intervention involving walking on uneven ground to improve walking skill and confidence in lower limb prosthesis users.

Lower limb prosthesis users will be recruited. Participants will be allocated randomly to receive either intervention A: training on a flat surface, or intervention B: training on an uneven surface. Depending on their ability and confidence, participants will complete the walking practice either on a treadmill or on a mat with an identical surface pattern. The walking practice will take place three times per week for four weeks. As each participant improves their ability, training tasks will be made more difficult by limiting handrail use, by increasing walking speed, and, for intervention B, also by making the walking surface more uneven.

The objectives of this pilot study are to evaluate adherence and refine the training protocols in preparation for a definitive trial that will inform rehabilitation practices.

02

Conditions studied

  • Amputation
  • Lower Limb Amputation Below Knee (Injury)
  • Lower Limb Amputation Above Knee (Injury)
  • Lower Limb Amputation at Ankle (Injury)
  • Lower Limb Amputation Knee
  • Lower Limb Amputation at Hip (Injury)

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03

In context

Wounds and Injuries

2,217 studies on the registry are indexed under Wounds and Injuries; 441 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 35 is below the median of 70 across 1,424 interventional studies indexed under Wounds and Injuries.

Browse Wounds and Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas is the lead sponsor of 75 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (40%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • lower limb amputation at ankle (Symes) level and above
  • age 18+ years
  • fitted with a walking prosthesis and use it regularly for home and/or community ambulation
  • good socket fit, assessed by a score of 8-10 on the socket fit comfort scale
  • able to walk for three minutes at a time with or without an assistive device

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • leg/foot ulcer or other conditions that cause pain during weight-bearing
  • poor skin integrity that could cause tissue breakdown by walking
  • cardiovascular, respiratory or other critical health conditions that preclude moderate physical activity
  • unilateral or bilateral upper limb absence or loss at the wrist and above that precludes use of handrails bilaterally, or would require asymmetrical adaptation to body posture for use.
  • pregnancy
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
35 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Flat terrain training

    Walking on a standard, flat treadmill or mat.

    Other: Flat terrain locomotor training

  • Experimental
    Uneven terrain training

    Walking on an uneven terrain treadmill or mat.

    Other: Uneven terrain locomotor training

Interventions

  • OtherFlat terrain locomotor training

    The training will be comprised of up to 12 sets of 2-min continuous walking on a level treadmill or mat, interspersed with rest breaks of at least one minute. Training will be completed three times per week for four weeks.

  • OtherUneven terrain locomotor training

    The training will be comprised of up to 12 sets of 2-min continuous walking on an uneven terrain treadmill or mat, interspersed with rest breaks of at least one minute. Training will be completed three times per week for four weeks.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Session adherence

    Percentage of planned sessions attended, per participant.

    Time frame: Through study completion, over 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. L-test time

    Time to complete L-test, in s. Participant rises from a chair and guided by cones, walks 10m forward, turns 90 degrees, walks a further 10m, turns 180 degrees, then follows the same path back to the chair and sits. Result from a single test following one practice trial is recorded.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  2. Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale summary score

    16-item self report measure recording confidence in performing activities during daily life that require balance, on numerical ratings scale, recorded as a percentage (out of 100).

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  3. Average daily activity

    Mean number of steps per day over 7 days, collected using ankle worn activity monitor.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  4. Four Square Step Test time

    Time to complete forwards, lateral and backwards stepping pattern, in s.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  5. Single leg stand time

    Time standing on one leg up to a maximum of 20s, in s.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  6. Two-minute walk test distance

    Walking distance traveled in two minutes, in m.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

  7. Protocol acceptability

    Likert scale questions and short answer questions to determine acceptability of protocol to participants, assessed qualitatively.

    Time frame: End of intervention week 4

  8. Recruitment feasibility - recruitment rate

    Number of participants recruited within one year

    Time frame: From start of recruitment period, to 12 month time point.

  9. Recruitment feasibility - participating clinics

    Number of clinics from which at least one participant is recruited.

    Time frame: Through study completion, from start of recruitment period, to end of recruitment period or 30 month time point, whichever is sooner.

  10. Recruitment feasibility - sample characteristics

    Sample characteristics of all participants enrolled in the study, regardless of completion.

    Time frame: Through study completion, from start of recruitment period, to end of recruitment period or 30 month time point, whichever is sooner.

  11. Activity data evaluation

    Completeness and quality of activity monitor data, measured as number of days with valid (non-erroneous) monitoring data.

    Time frame: Throughout activity monitoring period, over 2 weeks

  12. Maximum relative variability of lateral trunk velocity during uneven terrain in comparison to overground walking

    Medial-lateral trunk variability will be quantified during each bout of walking during each session. The maximum relative variability will be calculated as the difference in variability (standard deviation) of peak per-step lateral trunk velocity during UT walking sessions relative to that of overground walking, in m/s.

    Time frame: Through study completion, over 4 weeks

  13. Contour depth at maximum relative variability

    Terrain contour depth at which the maximum relative variability was recorded, in m.

    Time frame: Through study completion, over 4 weeks

  14. Maximum relative step width variability during uneven terrain in comparison to overground walking

    Step width variability will be quantified during each bout of walking during each session. The maximum relative variability will be calculated as the difference in variability (standard deviation) of step width during UT walking sessions relative to that of overground walking, in m.

    Time frame: Through study completion, over 4 weeks

  15. Prosthesis Users Survey of Mobility t-score

    12-item self report tool measuring prosthesis users' mobility.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, within 5 days post intervention

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 23, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06419920
Lead sponsor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Collaborators
University of Washington, Chapman University, United States Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 17, 2024
Start date
Jun 26, 2025
Primary completion
Jul 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 23, 2026

Study contacts

Jenny A Kent, PhD, CSci
Contact
jenny.kent@unlv.edu
7028955949
Jenny A Kent, PhD, CSci
principal investigator · University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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