We are proud to be one of the only clinics in North America with a dedicated researcher on staff.
These are just a few of the current research projects at Barber Prosthetics Clinic:
Developing an Artificial Skin for Prosthesis Users to Feel Touch and Pressure
Bertille Dupont & Dr. John Madden @ UBC and Barber Prosthetics Clinic
A team at UBC has been working on a project that would allow users of prostheses to feel what touches their prosthetic hands when wearing their prostheses. They have partnered with us at Barber Prosthetics Clinic to refine this technology, incorporate it into prostheses and gain feedback from people who would benefit from it. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us!
Self-Management for Amputee Rehabilitation using Technologies
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Rehabilitation Research Program, University of British Columbia & Barber Prosthetics Clinic
A team of researchers from the University of British Columbia are exploring ways of improving educational programs for patients with lower limb amputations. We are currently recruiting individuals who are at least 50 years of age, wear a permanent prosthesis, have gone through rehabilitation in the last 5 years and are willing to talk about your experiences.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Elham Esfandiari at 604-714-4108 or elham.esfandiari@ubc.ca
Attitudes and behaviours toward using outcome measures in clinical practice: Findings of a blended learning program.
Barber Prosthetics Clinic and BCIT
The field of orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) is undergoing a shift towards an evidence-based approach to clinical practice with an emphasis on outcome measure use for improvement of patient care 1-2. Outcome measures can be used to accurately document patient progress after an intervention, aid in making patient-centered decisions, and promote an evidence-based approach to clinical.
Barber Prosthetics Clinic developed a protocol for outcome measure use and have been routinely using outcome measures in everyday clinical care since 2015. Recently, we created educational materials and a week-long course surrounding the use of outcome measures in clinical practice. A number of prosthetics and orthotics professionals have completed the course. We are interested in evaluating the long-term effects of an outcome measures educational program for orthotic and prosthetic professionals. This study will assess clinicians' attitudes, knowledge, confidence, use, and perceived use before and after the completion of this educational program to determine if educational programs can influence these attitudes and behaviours.
Stay tuned for results!
Chui K, Wong RA, Lusardi MM. An evidence-based approach to orthotic and prosthetic rehabilitation. In: Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2013: 72–103.
Brinkmann J T. Turning Knowledge Into Action: Using Research to Improve Patient Care. The O&P EDGE. 2017; March. https://opedge.com/Articles/ViewArticle/2017-03_03.
Accessed June 23, 2017.
Quantifying the Effects of Physiological Arousal on Functional Balance and Mobility Performance in Lower-Extremity Amputees
Dr. James Wakeling, Dr. Courtney Pollock & Erina Cho from SFU with Barber Prosthetics Clinic
Past research have shown that falls remain to be common problem amongst people with lower-limb amputations, especially those with amputations at higher levels. One parameter that has been gaining larger interest is the influence of the psychology of the individual on his physical performance on mobility and balance tasks. Traditionally, to evaluate psychological characteristics, such as balance confidence and fear of falling, a number of self-reported surveys have been used. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the use of measuring Electrodermal Activity (EDA), a measure of skin-conductance that infers physiological arousal, could be used as an alternative or additional tool for better understanding the effects of psychology on mobility and balance performance in individuals with transfemoral amputations.
Pregnancy & Protheses
Barber Prosthetics Clinic & BCIT
Prostheses are custom fabricated to every individual’s body and are sensitive to even the slightest changes. For a woman with a transfemoral amputation, the changes her body experiences during pregnancy are expected to pose disruptions to the use of her prosthesis.
Currently, there is no research available on the effect that pregnancy has on the fit, function, or use of transfemoral prostheses and there is little information available to women who are pregnant on what to expect in regards to their prosthesis.
The purpose of this research is to explore this topic and provide information both to prosthetists and to patients with transfemoral amputation on what they can expect when pregnant.