Improving how we measure physical function for people using artificial arms
Official title: Advancing measurement of physical function in upper limb amputation
Funded at Providence VA Medical Center · NIH-11402390 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at making it easier and more accurate to track how well people with upper limb prostheses move and function in daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Providence VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004775-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402390 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with upper limb amputation who use or may use upper limb prostheses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without upper limb amputations or those not receiving prosthetic rehabilitation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on refining and standardizing how we measure physical function in people who use upper limb prosthetics. It builds on years of work creating disease- or condition-specific PROMs and performance tests, with the goal of reliable, easy-to-use measures in routine care. The work will identify gaps in current tools, improve reliability and responsiveness, and ensure that measures work well for both women and men with upper limb amputation. The effort will involve validating and potentially shortening existing scales to fit real-world clinical settings. If successful, clinicians will have better ways to monitor progress and tailor rehabilitation strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could benefit from more accurate and practical tools to track progress and guide prosthetic rehabilitation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous PROMs and performance measures showed good validity and reliability, but gaps remained, indicating this area is promising but still evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
Providence VA Medical Center
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Resnik, Linda J. — Providence VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Resnik, Linda J.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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-
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-
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AMPDECIDE: Helping Veterans choose amputation level with personalized outcome information
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This grant looks at how skin temperature and mechanical factors during walking affect tissue health and risk of sores in people with a leg amputation, especially those with diabetes.
-
Biomechanical changes in the shoulder after losing a forearm through amputation
Researchers will study how losing a forearm affects shoulder movement and bone shape in people with transhumeral amputation, compared to healthy individuals.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.