Research & Development

Please get in touch with us to recruit participants for research studies or development activity. This service is supported without charge.

Please click on the link and follow our procedures for advertising research studies and development activity.


Stability and gait analysis for lower limb prosthetic users

Research participants needed for the study ‘Stability and gait analysis for lower limb prosthetic users’ at The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Do you wear a below knee prosthesis on one side only? Are you interested in taking part in a research study? Have you been using a prosthesis for more than a year? Are you able to walk without aids? Are you aged 18 or over?

What is the purpose of the study? To learn how people react to small floor movements during walking.

What you will do in the study? Walk on the treadmill at your comfortable walking speed. At some point the treadmill speed will change slightly which may affect your steps. We will record your walking using an advanced motion capture system.

You will not be suitable for this study if: you are pregnant; you have other musculoskeletal problems, for example osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, knee instability; you suffer from motion sickness.

Where? The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Travelling expenses will be reimbursed

How long will it take? One visit for no longer than two hours

Recruitment until 1 February 2020

Download the Participant Information Sheet – Study of stability

For further information of how to participate in this study, please contact:
Mr Mahmoud AlFatafta Postgraduate Research Student
Email : Mahmoud.ft@strath.ac.uk

Supervisor: Dr Anthony McGarry
Senior Teaching Fellow Prosthetist / Orthotist
Email: anthony.mcgarry@strath.ac.uk


A study of the effectiveness of a leg splint in stroke patients during walking

We are looking for people aged 18 years and over who have had a stroke, to help in a study investigating the performance of load sensors attached to a lower leg splint during walking. The results of this study may influence clinical decision making in selecting splint design and material that best matches the patient needs.

If you would like to take part, you will be invited to come to the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics at the University of Strathclyde (in Glasgow, Scotland) for three visits. These visits will be approximately 2 hours long and we will record your walking whilst wearing a lower leg splint.

Travelling expenses incurred will be reimbursed.
For further information, please see the Participant Information Sheet

Study recruitment will end on the 31st of October 2019.

For more information, please contact:
Amneh Alshawabka at amneh.alshawabka.2016@strath.ac.uk
or
Mr Stephan Solomonidis at s.e.solomonidis@strath.ac.uk


Phantom Limb Pain Management and Physiotherapy: Exploring Beliefs and Experiences of Physiotherapists and Persons with Amputations

Have you experienced phantom limb pain? 

OR

Are you a physiotherapist who has treated someone with phantom limb pain?

If so you could be eligible for a study researching “Phantom Limb Pain Management and Physiotherapy: Exploring Beliefs and Experiences of Physiotherapists and Persons with Amputations”

This study aims to identify successful phantom limb pain management plans from an amputee and physiotherapy point of view.

What you will be asked to do: Take part in a 20 minute telephone interview about your experiences and beliefs of phantom limb pain management. For more information about this study please contact Garrett Saxton

g.saxton9862@student.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Supervisor Gill Phillips: g.phillips@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Study recruitment to 31 August 2018

Downloads:

Participant Information Sheet (Amputee)

Participation Information Form (Physio)


Do you have a myoelectric prosthesis? How easy do you find it to use?

We are looking for adult trans-radial users with a range of experiences to undertake a research study “Understanding the impact of skill, unpredictability and delays on the control of myoelectric prostheses”. This study aims to establish why some people find these devices difficult to control.

What you would be asked to do 

PART 1: A series of simple tasks using your myoelectric prosthesis. Time commitment = 1 x 3-4 hour session. Location: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Alternative locations in England include: Salford, Manchester, Roehampton, Sheffield or Nottingham (please contact the researcher for details)

PART 2: Assessment of everyday prosthesis use. Time commitment = 1 week. Location anywhere in the UK. (this involves wearing two wristwatch sized sensors during normal daily activity)

for more information about this study please contact Alix Chadwell A.E.A.Chadwell@edu.salford.ac.uk or Supervisor L.P.J.Kenney@salford.ac.uk

The University of Salford, Manchester.

Study recruitment to 5 October 2017

Download the PDF Advertisement for research participants Myoelectric prosthesis study


Recruitment for volunteers: Talking about limb loss – Development of patient information resources based on “real life” experiences.

Would you be interested in taking part in an interview to discuss your experience of limb loss and prosthesis use?
We would like to produce a series of patient information leaflets giving real life examples of amputation and prosthesis use.
These leaflets would then be distributed via clinics and support groups, as well as being made available online, to help other individuals with this experience. We are looking for individuals with all types of experience so please get in touch!
You must be at least 18 years old, have a lower limb amputation, be a minimum of 6 months post-amputation.
If this is you we would love to hear from you!

Please see our participant Information Sheet – Talking about limb loss study

Study recruitment to 30 September 2017

Please email Rachel Munro at RMunro1@qmu.ac.uk or Dr Clare Uytman at cuytman@qmu.ac.uk, researchers at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Or contact project lead, Dr Clare Uytman on 01314740000 for more information.


 

Research participation request: The Spinal Cord Injury Move More (SCIMM) study
Are you an 18-50 year-old adult with a spinal cord injury T6 to S5?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with spinal cord injury. The Spinal Cord Injury Move More Study is investigating whether breaking up periods of inactivity with very short bursts of exercise over the day helps to reduce risk markers for heart disease.
This study is being run by the University of Bedfordshire. You will be asked to visit the Universities Bedford campus on 4 occasions with all travel expenses paid and you will receive a total of £75 if you finish the study. You will receive feedback on an assessment of your health and a report of the study findings. Please click this link to see the Information Sheet for Participants Spinal Cord Injury.

Study recruitment to October 2018

To express your interest in this study please contact Tom Withers at thomas.withers@beds.ac.uk.


Research participation request: Comparison of biomechanical and muscle activation variables between mobility impaired and unimpaired individuals walking outdoors, indoors and on a treadmill.
Treadmills are used to help people with different medical conditions recover the ability to walk. They are used, for example, in the rehabilitation of stroke survivors and lower-limb amputees. This type of training improves the fitness and the walking speed of the user. However, it doesn’t help as much when it comes to walking around the home environment or outside where individuals face several challenges, such as turns, slopes or obstacles avoidance. A new type of treadmill which adapts its speed to the person’s own speed and change gradient, while projecting a virtual environment, can lead to more variety in walking practice that is closer to a real-life walking experience.

The aim of our study is to investigate how closely this virtual-reality treadmill simulates outdoor walking. We are looking for the help of people who use a lower-limb prosthetic, and people who have been affected by stroke and use a foot-splint or AFO. If you, choose to participate, we will arrange for you to attend a three-hour session at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, where you will be monitored while walking outside, inside, and in virtual-reality.

Study recruitment to early August 2017

For more information, please contact: Dr Nicholas Smith at nicholas.l.smith@strath.ac.uk.


Research participation request: A study of physical activity and perceived barriers to exercise in people with a lower-limb amputation compared with unaffected controls.

Background Physical activity is known to benefit health and well-being, with evidence to support its use in preventing heart attacks, diabetes and some cancers. Improvements in health through physical activity can be made irrespective of your current health or disability level. Very little is known about physical activity levels and barriers to becoming active in the population of people with a physical disability. The aim of this study is to develop an understanding of current activity levels in a lower-limb amputee group and the barriers they have in becoming and remaining physically active. Information for amputees will be compared to a group of people who do not suffer with mobility impairments. The overall purpose is to identify needs and means to ensure improved levels of physical activity can be achieved in lower-limb amputees.  Recruitment Criteria The focus of the study is to examine levels of physical activity and explore perceived barriers to physical activity of adult (18+years) lower-limb amputees. The study also aims to recruit participants without a physical disability to act as a control group for comparison. As an amputee who fulfils the respective criteria, or as a control participant without a disability, who is healthy and injury-free, you have been invited to participate in the study.

Study recruitment to 28 February 2017

Contact If you are interested in taking part, please follow this link:

https://cardiffmet.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eOKmo3qeWcFu27r

Kind regards, Dr Bethan Griffiths, Cardiff Metropolitan University


Have you been using an upper limb prosthesis? – Research participation request

If so, we are interested to hear from you about your experiences of this and participate in research from the University of Salford – ‘A Content Analysis of factors associated with embodiment of upper limb prostheses’. We would like to hear from you if your use of a prosthetic limb is due to either amputation or congenital limb absence as long as you have spent some time using a prosthesis.

Please follow this link to a University webpage detailing more information on the research and how to participate or enquire further about the study. Recruitment from 1st June to 31st December 2016 – http://goo.gl/DRnuSy

Many thanks, Andrew Hodrien (PhD researcher)


Previous research activity


TV series recruiting amputees

Optomen are looking for individuals for the second series of their programme ‘Employable me’ to further represent the broader range of disabled individuals, both physical and neurological, who struggle to find work due to their condition. They also hope to encourage more employers to be more inclusive. They would really like to represent amputees within this and feel there may be many with great skills who are not able to find employment because of initial stigma. The idea is to look the strengths and skills the individual has developed and what they can do, find employment and areas they might thrive in and how this could be an asset to an employer, rather than looking at what they cannot do. They are hoping to speak to people who have been out of work but are really keen to find employment and feel their condition might have been the barrier employers held against them. Posted 27th May 2016

Contact employme@optomen.com


Study on Information for Orthotic Users and Carers.

Advert for study recruitment from the University of Strathclyde.

Do you use an orthotic device or care for someone who does? If so, you may be interested in participating in a study aiming to develop a website for orthotic users and carers. The aim of the website is to provide accurate and appropriate information for those individuals who use orthotics and their carers. There currently appears to be limited amounts of orthotic information available online, therefore to ensure the website is centred around your needs, we need your opinions and feedback. Participants will be asked to take part in a group discussion to highlight information they feel is important to be documented within the website and how this information should be presented. This study is part of an undergraduate project and is supervised by Elaine Figgins at University of Strathclyde.

Study Recruitment from February 2016 to 14th March 2016


Experiences of coping with limb loss: a qualitative approach.

Advert for study recruitment from the University of the West of Scotland.

Are you a lower-limb amputee who uses prosthesis and live in the UK? If you are a lower-limb amputee who uses prosthesis, are over 18 and live in the UK then you may wish to participate in a study looking at the experiences of those who are lower limb amputees. The study will particularly focus on self-esteem and stigma within experiences of lower limb amputees. Recruitment will last until the end of March. Participants will take part in a telephone interview that will last around 30 to 45 minutes.  The study is part of an undergraduate dissertation study and is supervised by Doctor Melody Terras at the University of the West of Scotland.

Study recruitment from 16 February 2016 to 31 March 2016


UK Prosthesis Users and Physical Activity Monitoring

Advert for study recruitment from the University of Strathclyde.

Are you a UK-based person with trans-tibial or trans-femoral limb absence who uses a prosthesis? If so, you may wish to participate in a research study into physical activity habits and sedentary behaviour. A team of researchers from the University of Strathclyde are keen to understand if and how physical activity for health could be promoted in people with limb absence.

Study Recruitment from 2 December 2015 to 31 March 2016