Thermoregulation and tissue health in leg-amputee patients
Official title: Thermoregulation in individuals with a leg amputation: mechanics and vascular physiology factors to understand risks for tissue complications
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11372931 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | August 26, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $454,795 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD106911-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372931 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older who have a unilateral leg amputation and use a prosthesis, including those with diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
People without a prosthesis-related risk of skin complications or those unwilling to participate in walking or temperature monitoring will have less direct benefit.
What this research studies
If you have a unilateral leg amputation, this research will study how heat and temperature in the intact foot and residuum tissue relate to tissue health and the risk of sores. The team will examine how walking mechanics, such as shear forces, influence temperature changes at the socket interface and other intact tissues. By comparing people with and without diabetes, they aim to understand who is most at risk and how to detect problems early. The goal is to identify signals that could guide better monitoring and preventive care for prosthesis users.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians predict and prevent skin ulcers and other tissue complications in amputees, improving comfort and mobility.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in healthy individuals and people with diabetes suggests temperature responses relate to walking mechanics; this study extends it to unilateral amputees.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Takahashi, Kota — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Takahashi, Kota
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Spinal muscle targets to improve mobility after leg amputation
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-
Bone and skin movement inside prosthetic sockets for below-knee amputees
This project uses moving X-ray and CT-based 3D models to measure how bones, skin, and liners move inside the prosthetic socket of people with below-knee amputations during walking and other activities.
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Surgical strategies to prevent and reduce amputation pain
This project tests how two nerve-sparing techniques can prevent or lessen phantom and residual limb pain in people who have or will have amputations, especially veterans.
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Improving how we measure physical function for people using artificial arms
Aimed at making it easier and more accurate to track how well people with upper limb prostheses move and function in daily life.
-
AMPDECIDE: Helping Veterans choose amputation level with personalized outcome information
A doctor helps a veteran facing leg amputation learn personalized risks and likely outcomes for different amputation levels to guide their care choices.
-
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.