Perceptions of prosthetic attention among lower limb prosthesis users: a focus group study.

Abstract

Use of a lower limb prosthesis generally requires increased cognitive effort to compensate for missing motor and sensory inputs. This study sought to examine how lower limb prosthesis users perceive paying attention to their prosthesis(es) in daily life. Focus groups with lower limb prosthesis users were conducted virtually using semi-structured questions. Verbatim transcripts were excerpted, coded, and reconciled. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken to identify experiences shared by participants. Five themes emerged from five focus groups conducted with thirty individuals: <i>Paying attention to my prosthesis is just what I have to do; I pay attention to how my prosthetic socket fits and feels every day; I pay attention because I don't want to fall; I pay attention because I have to learn to do things in a new way; and If I can trust that my prosthesis will do what I want, I can pay less attention to it.</i> Prosthetic attention, including both background and foreground attention, is a shared experience among lower limb prosthesis users. The amount and frequency of prosthetic attention fluctuates throughout the day and changes over time. Measuring attention could inform the evaluation and prescription of technology intended to reduce cognitive effort.