Axil Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Hearing Protecting Ear Plugs

Axil have taken to Kickstarter to fund the production of their new noise-filtering earplugs. (http://kck.st/2oxHS0J.) The XP Defender and XP Reactor, both non-digital and made of silicone, give users control over what sounds to block out, unlike other noise-canceling earplugs. The filters of the XP Reactor let in low-level passive sounds so users have normal hearing whether loud noises are around. They provide a low NRR rating of around 8 dB for passive attenuation. The disc and mesh inside of the filter together provide a noise reduction of as much as 33 dB automatically. The XP Defender operates the same way as the XP Reactor. It comes with a switch that allows users to make the earplug's passive attenuation go up to NRR 18 dB. The XP Defender also has a special sound valve that can be opened and closed by a switch to let in select sounds.

The XP Defender and the XP Reactor are manufactured through a collaboration with Dynamic Ear Company, which specializes in sound filtering technology. Backers of the campaign will be able to purchase the products for $19 each. Axil has surpassed its fundraising goal of $20,000 and reached $53,397 at the time of publication. The Kickstarter campaign will remain active for 28 more days. 

​

Published: 4/21/2017 11:30:00 AM

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Clinical Forum: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability

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Axil Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Hearing Protecting Ear Plugs

Axil have taken to Kickstarter to fund the production of their new noise-filtering earplugs. (http://kck.st/2oxHS0J.) The XP Defender and XP Reactor, both non-digital and made of silicone, give users control over what sounds to block out, unlike other noise-canceling earplugs. The filters of the XP Reactor let in low-level passive sounds so users have normal hearing whether loud noises are around. They provide a low NRR rating of around 8 dB for passive attenuation. The disc and mesh inside of the filter together provide a noise reduction of as much as 33 dB automatically. The XP Defender operates the same way as the XP Reactor. It comes with a switch that allows users to make the earplug's passive attenuation go up to NRR 18 dB. The XP Defender also has a special sound valve that can be opened and closed by a switch to let in select sounds.

The XP Defender and the XP Reactor are manufactured through a collaboration with Dynamic Ear Company, which specializes in sound filtering technology. Backers of the campaign will be able to purchase the products for $19 each. Axil has surpassed its fundraising goal of $20,000 and reached $53,397 at the time of publication. The Kickstarter campaign will remain active for 28 more days. 

​

Published: 4/21/2017 11:30:00 AM

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Clinical Forum: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability

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Axil Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Hearing Protecting Ear Plugs

Axil have taken to Kickstarter to fund the production of their new noise-filtering earplugs. (http://kck.st/2oxHS0J.) The XP Defender and XP Reactor, both non-digital and made of silicone, give users control over what sounds to block out, unlike other noise-canceling earplugs. The filters of the XP Reactor let in low-level passive sounds so users have normal hearing whether loud noises are around. They provide a low NRR rating of around 8 dB for passive attenuation. The disc and mesh inside of the filter together provide a noise reduction of as much as 33 dB automatically. The XP Defender operates the same way as the XP Reactor. It comes with a switch that allows users to make the earplug's passive attenuation go up to NRR 18 dB. The XP Defender also has a special sound valve that can be opened and closed by a switch to let in select sounds.

The XP Defender and the XP Reactor are manufactured through a collaboration with Dynamic Ear Company, which specializes in sound filtering technology. Backers of the campaign will be able to purchase the products for $19 each. Axil has surpassed its fundraising goal of $20,000 and reached $53,397 at the time of publication. The Kickstarter campaign will remain active for 28 more days. 

​

Published: 4/21/2017 11:30:00 AM

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Clinical Forum: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability

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Differentiating Middle Ear and Medial Olivocochlear Effects on Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions

Abstract

The response of the inner ear is modulated by the middle ear muscle (MEM) and olivocochlear (OC) efferent systems. Both systems can be activated reflexively by acoustic stimuli delivered to one or both ears. The acoustic middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR) controls the transmission of acoustic signals through the middle ear, while reflex activation of the medial component of the olivocochlear system (the MOCR) modulates cochlear mechanics. The relative prominence of the two efferent systems varies widely between species. Measuring the effect of either of these systems can be confounded by simultaneously activating the other. We describe a simple, sensitive online method that can identify the effects both systems have on otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) evoked by transient stimuli such as clicks or tone pips (TEOAEs). The method detects directly in the time domain the changes in the stimulus and/or emission pressures caused by contralateral noise. Measurements in human participants are consistent with other reports that the threshold for MOCR activation is consistently lower than for MEMR. The method appears to control for drift and subject-generated noise well enough to avoid the need for post hoc processing, making it promising for application in animal experiments (even if awake) and in the hearing clinic.

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Hearing loss and auditory plasticity

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Wei Sun, Shiming Yang, Ke Liu, Richard J. Salvi




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Hearing loss and auditory plasticity

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Wei Sun, Shiming Yang, Ke Liu, Richard J. Salvi




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Plastic changes along auditory pathway during salicylate-induced ototoxicity: Hyperactivity and CF shifts

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Chen Jiang, Bin Luo, Senthilvelan Manohar, Guang-Di Chen, Richard Salvi
High dose of salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, has long been known to induce transient hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis making it a powerful experimental tool. These salicylate-induced perceptual disturbances are associated with a massive reduction in the neural output of the cochlea. Paradoxically, the diminished neural output of the cochlea is accompanied by a dramatic increase in sound-evoked activity in the auditory cortex (AC) and several other parts of the central nervous system. Exactly where the increase in neural activity begins and builds up along the central auditory pathway are not fully understood. To address this issue, we measured sound-evoked neural activity in the cochlea, cochlear nucleus (CN), inferior colliculus (IC), and AC before and after administering a high dose of sodium salicylate (SS, 300 mg/kg). The SS-treatment abolished low-level sound-evoked responses along the auditory pathway resulting in a 20–30 dB threshold shift. While the neural output of the cochlea was substantially reduced at high intensities, the neural responses in the CN were only slightly reduced; those in the IC were nearly normal or slightly enhanced while those in the AC considerably enhanced, indicative of a progress increase in central gain. The SS-induced increase in central response in the IC and AC was frequency-dependent with the greatest increase occurring in the mid-frequency range the putative pitch of SS-induced tinnitus. This frequency-dependent hyperactivity appeared to result from shifts in the frequency receptive fields (FRF) such that the response areas of many FRF shifted/expanded toward the mid-frequencies. Our results suggest that the SS-induced threshold shift originates in the cochlea. In contrast, enhanced central gain is not localized to one region, but progressively builds up at successively higher stage of the auditory pathway either through a loss of inhibition and/or increased excitation.

Graphical abstract

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Circadian regulation of auditory function

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Vasiliki Basinou, Jung-sub Park, Christopher R. Cederroth, Barbara Canlon
The circadian system integrates environmental cues to regulate physiological functions in a temporal fashion. The suprachiasmatic nucleus, located in the hypothalamus, is the master clock that synchronizes central and peripheral organ clocks to orchestrate physiological functions. Recently, molecular clock machinery has been identified in the cochlea unravelling the potential involvement in the circadian regulation of auditory functions. Here, we present background information on the circadian system and review the recent findings that introduce circadian rhythms to the auditory field. Understanding the mechanisms by which circadian rhythms regulate auditory function will provide fundamental knowledge on the signalling networks that control vulnerability and resilience to auditory insults.



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Hearing loss and auditory plasticity

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Wei Sun, Shiming Yang, Ke Liu, Richard J. Salvi




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Plastic changes along auditory pathway during salicylate-induced ototoxicity: Hyperactivity and CF shifts

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Chen Jiang, Bin Luo, Senthilvelan Manohar, Guang-Di Chen, Richard Salvi
High dose of salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, has long been known to induce transient hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis making it a powerful experimental tool. These salicylate-induced perceptual disturbances are associated with a massive reduction in the neural output of the cochlea. Paradoxically, the diminished neural output of the cochlea is accompanied by a dramatic increase in sound-evoked activity in the auditory cortex (AC) and several other parts of the central nervous system. Exactly where the increase in neural activity begins and builds up along the central auditory pathway are not fully understood. To address this issue, we measured sound-evoked neural activity in the cochlea, cochlear nucleus (CN), inferior colliculus (IC), and AC before and after administering a high dose of sodium salicylate (SS, 300 mg/kg). The SS-treatment abolished low-level sound-evoked responses along the auditory pathway resulting in a 20–30 dB threshold shift. While the neural output of the cochlea was substantially reduced at high intensities, the neural responses in the CN were only slightly reduced; those in the IC were nearly normal or slightly enhanced while those in the AC considerably enhanced, indicative of a progress increase in central gain. The SS-induced increase in central response in the IC and AC was frequency-dependent with the greatest increase occurring in the mid-frequency range the putative pitch of SS-induced tinnitus. This frequency-dependent hyperactivity appeared to result from shifts in the frequency receptive fields (FRF) such that the response areas of many FRF shifted/expanded toward the mid-frequencies. Our results suggest that the SS-induced threshold shift originates in the cochlea. In contrast, enhanced central gain is not localized to one region, but progressively builds up at successively higher stage of the auditory pathway either through a loss of inhibition and/or increased excitation.

Graphical abstract

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Circadian regulation of auditory function

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Vasiliki Basinou, Jung-sub Park, Christopher R. Cederroth, Barbara Canlon
The circadian system integrates environmental cues to regulate physiological functions in a temporal fashion. The suprachiasmatic nucleus, located in the hypothalamus, is the master clock that synchronizes central and peripheral organ clocks to orchestrate physiological functions. Recently, molecular clock machinery has been identified in the cochlea unravelling the potential involvement in the circadian regulation of auditory functions. Here, we present background information on the circadian system and review the recent findings that introduce circadian rhythms to the auditory field. Understanding the mechanisms by which circadian rhythms regulate auditory function will provide fundamental knowledge on the signalling networks that control vulnerability and resilience to auditory insults.



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Hearing loss and auditory plasticity

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Wei Sun, Shiming Yang, Ke Liu, Richard J. Salvi




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Hearing loss and auditory plasticity

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Hearing Research, Volume 347
Author(s): Wei Sun, Shiming Yang, Ke Liu, Richard J. Salvi




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Validity and repeatability of inertial measurement units for measuring gait parameters

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Edward P. Washabaugh, Tarun Kalyanaraman, Peter G. Adamczyk, Edward S. Claflin, Chandramouli Krishnan
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are small wearable sensors that have tremendous potential to be applied to clinical gait analysis. They allow objective evaluation of gait and movement disorders outside the clinic and research laboratory, and permit evaluation on large numbers of steps. However, repeatability and validity data of these systems are sparse for gait metrics. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and between-day repeatability of spatiotemporal metrics (gait speed, stance percent, swing percent, gait cycle time, stride length, cadence, and step duration) as measured with the APDM Opal IMUs and Mobility Lab system. We collected data on 39 healthy subjects. Subjects were tested over two days while walking on a standard treadmill, split-belt treadmill, or overground, with IMUs placed in two locations: both feet and both ankles. The spatiotemporal measurements taken with the IMU system were validated against data from an instrumented treadmill, or using standard clinical procedures. Repeatability and minimally detectable change (MDC) of the system was calculated between days. IMUs displayed high to moderate validity when measuring most of the gait metrics tested. Additionally, these measurements appear to be repeatable when used on the treadmill and overground. The foot configuration of the IMUs appeared to better measure gait parameters; however, both the foot and ankle configurations demonstrated good repeatability. In conclusion, the IMU system in this study appears to be both accurate and repeatable for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy young adults.



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Effects of attentional focus on walking stability in elderly

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Jonathan L.A. de Melker Worms, John F. Stins, Erwin E.H. van Wegen, Sabine M.P. Verschueren, Peter J. Beek, Ian D. Loram
IntroductionBalance performance in the elderly is related to psychological factors such as attentional focus. We investigated the effects of internal vs. external focus of attention and fall history on walking stability in healthy older adults.MethodWalking stability of twenty-eight healthy older adults was assessed by applying random unilateral decelerations on a split-belt treadmill and analysing the resulting balance recovery movements. The internal focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of your legs, whereas the external focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of the treadmill. In both conditions participants were asked to look ahead at a screen. Outcome measures were coefficient of variation of step length and step width, and characteristics of the centre of mass velocity time-series as analysed using statistical parametric mapping. Fall history was assessed using a questionnaire.ResultsAfter each perturbation participants required two to three strides to regain a normal gait pattern, as determined by the centre of mass velocity response. No effects were found of internal and external focus of attention instructions and fall history on any of the outcome measures.DiscussionWe conclude that, compared to an internal focus of attention instruction, external focus to the walking surface does not lead to improved balance recovery responses to gait perturbations in the elderly.



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The effect of vacuum assisted socket suspension on prospective, community-based falls by users of lower limb prostheses

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Noah J. Rosenblatt, Tess Ehrhardt
Individuals with lower limb amputation are at increased risk of falling compared to age-matched peers. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of socket suspension on the risk of falling, by comparing prospectively tracked falls between a group of participants that used vacuum assisted socket suspension (VASS) and a group that did not use this system. Fifteen current users of VASS and 12 non-VASS users received an email every two weeks for one year, with a link to an online survey that asked whether they fell (i.e., “unintentionally came to rest on a lower surface”) or stumbled (i.e., lost balance but did not fall) in the prior two weeks. A Chi-squared test was used to compare fall and stumble risk between groups, after stratifying by level of amputation, and the phi coefficient (φ) was used to quantify effect size. While the use of VASS did not affect the rate of falling (i.e., falls per person year) for either persons with transtibial amputation (TTA) or those with transfemoral amputation (TFA), the absolute risk of having multiple falls was reduced by nearly 75% in the former (φ=0.83), which is particularly important given that recurrent falls are associated with more severe injuries. There was no effect of VASS on the risk of falls in TFA. Further work is warranted to demonstrate the persistence of these effects in larger, more controlled samples.



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Validity and repeatability of inertial measurement units for measuring gait parameters

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Edward P. Washabaugh, Tarun Kalyanaraman, Peter G. Adamczyk, Edward S. Claflin, Chandramouli Krishnan
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are small wearable sensors that have tremendous potential to be applied to clinical gait analysis. They allow objective evaluation of gait and movement disorders outside the clinic and research laboratory, and permit evaluation on large numbers of steps. However, repeatability and validity data of these systems are sparse for gait metrics. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and between-day repeatability of spatiotemporal metrics (gait speed, stance percent, swing percent, gait cycle time, stride length, cadence, and step duration) as measured with the APDM Opal IMUs and Mobility Lab system. We collected data on 39 healthy subjects. Subjects were tested over two days while walking on a standard treadmill, split-belt treadmill, or overground, with IMUs placed in two locations: both feet and both ankles. The spatiotemporal measurements taken with the IMU system were validated against data from an instrumented treadmill, or using standard clinical procedures. Repeatability and minimally detectable change (MDC) of the system was calculated between days. IMUs displayed high to moderate validity when measuring most of the gait metrics tested. Additionally, these measurements appear to be repeatable when used on the treadmill and overground. The foot configuration of the IMUs appeared to better measure gait parameters; however, both the foot and ankle configurations demonstrated good repeatability. In conclusion, the IMU system in this study appears to be both accurate and repeatable for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy young adults.



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Effects of attentional focus on walking stability in elderly

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Jonathan L.A. de Melker Worms, John F. Stins, Erwin E.H. van Wegen, Sabine M.P. Verschueren, Peter J. Beek, Ian D. Loram
IntroductionBalance performance in the elderly is related to psychological factors such as attentional focus. We investigated the effects of internal vs. external focus of attention and fall history on walking stability in healthy older adults.MethodWalking stability of twenty-eight healthy older adults was assessed by applying random unilateral decelerations on a split-belt treadmill and analysing the resulting balance recovery movements. The internal focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of your legs, whereas the external focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of the treadmill. In both conditions participants were asked to look ahead at a screen. Outcome measures were coefficient of variation of step length and step width, and characteristics of the centre of mass velocity time-series as analysed using statistical parametric mapping. Fall history was assessed using a questionnaire.ResultsAfter each perturbation participants required two to three strides to regain a normal gait pattern, as determined by the centre of mass velocity response. No effects were found of internal and external focus of attention instructions and fall history on any of the outcome measures.DiscussionWe conclude that, compared to an internal focus of attention instruction, external focus to the walking surface does not lead to improved balance recovery responses to gait perturbations in the elderly.



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The effect of vacuum assisted socket suspension on prospective, community-based falls by users of lower limb prostheses

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Noah J. Rosenblatt, Tess Ehrhardt
Individuals with lower limb amputation are at increased risk of falling compared to age-matched peers. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of socket suspension on the risk of falling, by comparing prospectively tracked falls between a group of participants that used vacuum assisted socket suspension (VASS) and a group that did not use this system. Fifteen current users of VASS and 12 non-VASS users received an email every two weeks for one year, with a link to an online survey that asked whether they fell (i.e., “unintentionally came to rest on a lower surface”) or stumbled (i.e., lost balance but did not fall) in the prior two weeks. A Chi-squared test was used to compare fall and stumble risk between groups, after stratifying by level of amputation, and the phi coefficient (φ) was used to quantify effect size. While the use of VASS did not affect the rate of falling (i.e., falls per person year) for either persons with transtibial amputation (TTA) or those with transfemoral amputation (TFA), the absolute risk of having multiple falls was reduced by nearly 75% in the former (φ=0.83), which is particularly important given that recurrent falls are associated with more severe injuries. There was no effect of VASS on the risk of falls in TFA. Further work is warranted to demonstrate the persistence of these effects in larger, more controlled samples.



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via IFTTT

Validity and repeatability of inertial measurement units for measuring gait parameters

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Edward P. Washabaugh, Tarun Kalyanaraman, Peter G. Adamczyk, Edward S. Claflin, Chandramouli Krishnan
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are small wearable sensors that have tremendous potential to be applied to clinical gait analysis. They allow objective evaluation of gait and movement disorders outside the clinic and research laboratory, and permit evaluation on large numbers of steps. However, repeatability and validity data of these systems are sparse for gait metrics. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and between-day repeatability of spatiotemporal metrics (gait speed, stance percent, swing percent, gait cycle time, stride length, cadence, and step duration) as measured with the APDM Opal IMUs and Mobility Lab system. We collected data on 39 healthy subjects. Subjects were tested over two days while walking on a standard treadmill, split-belt treadmill, or overground, with IMUs placed in two locations: both feet and both ankles. The spatiotemporal measurements taken with the IMU system were validated against data from an instrumented treadmill, or using standard clinical procedures. Repeatability and minimally detectable change (MDC) of the system was calculated between days. IMUs displayed high to moderate validity when measuring most of the gait metrics tested. Additionally, these measurements appear to be repeatable when used on the treadmill and overground. The foot configuration of the IMUs appeared to better measure gait parameters; however, both the foot and ankle configurations demonstrated good repeatability. In conclusion, the IMU system in this study appears to be both accurate and repeatable for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy young adults.



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via IFTTT

Effects of attentional focus on walking stability in elderly

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Jonathan L.A. de Melker Worms, John F. Stins, Erwin E.H. van Wegen, Sabine M.P. Verschueren, Peter J. Beek, Ian D. Loram
IntroductionBalance performance in the elderly is related to psychological factors such as attentional focus. We investigated the effects of internal vs. external focus of attention and fall history on walking stability in healthy older adults.MethodWalking stability of twenty-eight healthy older adults was assessed by applying random unilateral decelerations on a split-belt treadmill and analysing the resulting balance recovery movements. The internal focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of your legs, whereas the external focus instruction was: concentrate on the movement of the treadmill. In both conditions participants were asked to look ahead at a screen. Outcome measures were coefficient of variation of step length and step width, and characteristics of the centre of mass velocity time-series as analysed using statistical parametric mapping. Fall history was assessed using a questionnaire.ResultsAfter each perturbation participants required two to three strides to regain a normal gait pattern, as determined by the centre of mass velocity response. No effects were found of internal and external focus of attention instructions and fall history on any of the outcome measures.DiscussionWe conclude that, compared to an internal focus of attention instruction, external focus to the walking surface does not lead to improved balance recovery responses to gait perturbations in the elderly.



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via IFTTT

The effect of vacuum assisted socket suspension on prospective, community-based falls by users of lower limb prostheses

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 55
Author(s): Noah J. Rosenblatt, Tess Ehrhardt
Individuals with lower limb amputation are at increased risk of falling compared to age-matched peers. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of socket suspension on the risk of falling, by comparing prospectively tracked falls between a group of participants that used vacuum assisted socket suspension (VASS) and a group that did not use this system. Fifteen current users of VASS and 12 non-VASS users received an email every two weeks for one year, with a link to an online survey that asked whether they fell (i.e., “unintentionally came to rest on a lower surface”) or stumbled (i.e., lost balance but did not fall) in the prior two weeks. A Chi-squared test was used to compare fall and stumble risk between groups, after stratifying by level of amputation, and the phi coefficient (φ) was used to quantify effect size. While the use of VASS did not affect the rate of falling (i.e., falls per person year) for either persons with transtibial amputation (TTA) or those with transfemoral amputation (TFA), the absolute risk of having multiple falls was reduced by nearly 75% in the former (φ=0.83), which is particularly important given that recurrent falls are associated with more severe injuries. There was no effect of VASS on the risk of falls in TFA. Further work is warranted to demonstrate the persistence of these effects in larger, more controlled samples.



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