Keeping up walking after leg amputation using telehealth

Walking Exercise Sustainability Through Telehealth for Veterans with Lower-LimbAmputation

NIH-funded research VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System · NIH-11316966

This program uses telehealth coaching to help Veterans with lower-limb amputation keep up regular walking exercise.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVA Eastern Colorado Health Care System NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11316966 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would join a two-arm randomized trial comparing a telerehabilitation walking self-management program to an attention-control education program. The telerehab group gets clinician-supported coaching delivered by video or phone, individualized home walking plans, and activity monitoring with an accelerometer to track steps and activity over time. The control group receives education and attention but not the active coaching program. Researchers will measure walking activity, daily function, and health outcomes over several months to see which approach helps people sustain walking.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans with a lower-limb amputation who can attempt walking (with or without a prosthesis), are medically stable, and can take part in telehealth sessions from home.

Not a fit: People who cannot walk at all, have unstable medical conditions, lack access to telehealth, or are not Veterans are unlikely to benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, Veterans may be able to walk more regularly at home, improving independence, mood, and management of other health conditions.

How similar studies have performed: Similar home-based and telerehabilitation coaching programs have shown promise in other patient groups, but this specific approach for Veterans with lower-limb amputation is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Aurora, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.