Neuromuscular adaptations after a lower-limb transfemoral amputation

Commercially available lower-limb prostheses do not provide sensory feedback. Thus, amputees develop compensatory mechanisms to regain an effective postural control. In this work, we investigated the neuromuscular adaptations occurring after a lower-limb amputation. The dynamics and spatial structure of the center of pressure (CoP) adjustments of lower-limb transfemoral amputees and age-matched able-bodied subjects were characterized during quiet standing. CoP measurements were also correlated with standardized balance assessments (Berg Balance Scale and Timed-Up-and-Go test). Our results suggest that besides the asymmetry in load distribution observed in amputees, there exist neuromuscular adaptations after an amputation, possibly related to the loss of sensory feedback, and which are not entirely circumvented by current prosthetic technologies.