Upper Limb Loss Perturbation Response

Recent investigations have suggested that persons with upper limb loss experience a high prevalence of falls with a quarter of reported falls resulting from a trip. Moreover, studies indicate that missing part of an arm may negatively impact balance and that use of a prosthesis exacerbates this problem. While the investigators are beginning to understand the effects of upper limb loss on balance, the understanding of how Veterans with upper limb loss respond to walking disturbances is incomplete. Therefore, the aims of this study are to observe the effects of upper limb loss and wearing a prosthesis on the preparation and recovery of Veterans who trip during walking. The investigators plan to use unique treadmill technology to deliver controlled, yet unexpected, perturbations to Veterans with upper limb loss and non-amputee controls, and assess walking stability through body dynamics. Results from this study will help us understand why Veterans with upper limb loss fall as a critical first step to addressing this problem through balance-targeted interventions that are integrated into patient care.