scholarly journals Body schema and body awareness of amputees

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Á. Mayer ◽  
K. Kudar ◽  
K. Bretz ◽  
J. Tihanyi
Keyword(s):  
Body Schema ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Functional Adaptation ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cortical Representation ◽  
Schema Model

Aim: The phantom phenomenon is a well-known example of the difference between body awareness and body schema. The present study is aimed at showing how body changes and prosthesis use are reflected in body schema and body awareness–the latter relating to the image that various amputees have of their bodies.Subject and methods: (i) Examining the configuration of body schema: A trial examining the spatial location of the phantom limb (50 people with lower or upper limb loss); (ii) examining the functional aspect of body schema: The distribution of weight power between intact and prosthetic limbs (34 people with tibial amputation); (iii) examining body awareness: Body Focus Questionnaire by Fisher (44 people with lower limb amputation, 33 intact people); and (iv) Questionnaire on anamnesis- and prosthesis-wearing habits (people participating in research methods [i] and [iii] mentioned above).Results: We found that when the amputees wore their prostheses, the configuration of body schema did not change, however, the people who had not used their prosthesis for a long period of time (in our study, at least for six years), the phantom limb shortened, a phenomenon known as telescoping. The functional adaptation of the prosthesis to the body schema starts in a short time (within two weeks) after wearing it, and it becomes close to normal in carrying body weight after a longer period of time (two years). In the beginning phase of rehabilitation, the awareness of legs is similar to that of the control group, while later on it this awareness decreases. Over time, however, the lost limb, regardless of having a prosthesis or not, loses its importance. People with a more serious or vascular amputation of the upper limbs have a clearer image of them. Limb parts having a greater cortical representation appear more intensively in phantom sensations, while the strength of the cortical representation in body schema has no significance.Conclusion: From both configuration and functional aspects, wearing a prosthesis helps maintain a body schema in which the phantom limb remains similar to the intact one, which can be explained by the connectional schema model. This is needed for movements to be carried out properly. Although the amputee can see the prosthesis and senses the phantom limb, they do not consider it their own since they are aware of the loss. Therefore, the fact that a prosthesis is worn will not be represented in body awareness as the highest level of mental structure.

scholarly journals Body Schema Self-Awareness and Related Dream Content Modifications in Amputees Due to Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1625
Author(s):  
Alessandra Giordano ◽  
Michele Boffano ◽  
Raimondo Piana ◽  
Roberto Mutani ◽  
Alessandro Cicolin
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Body Schema ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dream Content ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Dream Content Analysis

Purpose: the evaluation of body image perception, pain coping strategies, and dream content, together with phantom limb and telescoping phenomena in patients with sarcoma who underwent surgery for limb amputation. Material and Methods: consecutive outpatients were evaluated at T0 (within 3 weeks after surgery) and T1 (4–6 months after surgery) as follows: demographic and clinical data collection; the Groningen Questionnaire Problems after Arm Amputation; the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory; the Body Image Concern Inventory, a clinical trial to identify telescoping; and a weekly diary of dreams. Dream contents were coded according to the Hall and Van de Castle coding system. Results: Twenty patients completed the study (15 males and 5 females, mean age: 53.9 ± 24.6, education: 7.8 ± 3.4). All subjects experienced phantom limb and 35% of them experienced telescoping soon after surgery, and 25% still after 4–6 months. Both at T0 and T1, that half of the subjects reported dreams about still having their missing limbs. At T1 the patients’ perceptions of being able to deal with problems were lower, and pain and its interference in everyday life were higher yet associated with significant engagement in everyday activities and an overall good mood. The dream content analysis highlighted that males were less worried about health problems soon after amputation, and women showed more initial difficulties that seemed to be resolved after 4–6 months after surgery. Conclusions: The dream content analysis may improve clinicians’ ability to support their patients during their therapeutic course.

An f-MRI Study of an Adaptable EMG Prosthetic Hand with Biofeedback

2008 ◽  
pp. 594-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Hernandez Arieta ◽  
Ryu Kato ◽  
Hiroshi Yokoi ◽  
Tamio Arai ◽  
Wenwei Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Communication Channels ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cortical Reorganization ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Mutual Adaptation ◽  
Machine Interface ◽  
Mri Study

The mutual adaptation between man-machine opens new possibilities in the development of better userfriendly interfaces that not only adapt to the user’s characteristics, but also permits the adaptation of the user to the machine. There are several examples of the use of feedback to improve the man-machine interface. One example is the use of sound to acquire cues in the interaction with the machine (Rauterberg, 1999). These studies show the improvement in the interaction when we increase the number of communication channels between the man and the machine. The problem with sound cues is that need the conscious effort to be recognized. Hunter, Katz, and Davis (2003) show another example of the importance of increasing the communication channels in the interaction between man and machine. In this study, they show how the multiple sensory stimuli contribute to the conscious awareness of the body, and how it can be used to change the abnormal body awareness that occurs after limb amputation. This effect is also known as cortical reorganization, where the brain after losing the stimuli from the amputated limb, due to the cross-modality, received input signals from the adjacent neurons, resulting in what is called “phantom limb.”

scholarly journals Use of a Single Wearable Sensor to Evaluate the Effects of Gait and Pelvis Asymmetries on the Components of the Timed Up and Go Test, in Persons with Unilateral Lower Limb Amputation

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Maria Stella Valle ◽  
Antonino Casabona ◽  
Ilenia Sapienza ◽  
Luca Laudani ◽  
Alessandro Vagnini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gait Cycle ◽  
Inertial Sensor ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
The Body ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Physical Mobility ◽  
Group A ◽  
First Time

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test quantifies physical mobility by measuring the total performance time. In this study, we quantified the single TUG subcomponents and, for the first time, explored the effects of gait cycle and pelvis asymmetries on them. Transfemoral (TF) and transtibial (TT) amputees were compared with a control group. A single wearable inertial sensor, applied to the back, captured kinematic data from the body and pelvis during the 10-m walk test and the TUG test. From these data, two categories of symmetry indexes (SI) were computed: One SI captured the differences between the antero-posterior accelerations of the two sides during the gait cycle, while another set of SI quantified the symmetry over the three-dimensional pelvis motions. Moreover, the total time of the TUG test, the time of each subcomponent, and the velocity of the turning subcomponents were measured. Only the TF amputees showed significant reductions in each SI category when compared to the controls. During the TUG test, the TF group showed a longer duration and velocity reduction mainly over the turning subtasks. However, for all the amputees there were significant correlations between the level of asymmetries and the velocity during the turning tasks. Overall, gait cycle and pelvis asymmetries had a specific detrimental effect on the turning performance instead of on linear walking.

scholarly journals Differential changes in self-reported aspects of interoceptive awareness through 3 months of contemplative training

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Bornemann ◽  
Beate M. Herbert ◽  
Tania Singer
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Interoceptive Awareness ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity

Interoceptive body awareness (IA) is crucial for psychological well-being and plays an important role in many contemplative traditions. However, until recently, standardized self-report measures of IA were scarce, not comprehensive, and the effects of interoceptive training on such measures were largely unknown. The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) questionnaire measures IA with eight different scales. In the current study, we investigated whether and how these different aspects of IA are influenced by a 3-months contemplative intervention in the context of the ReSource project, in which 148 subjects engaged in daily practices of “Body Scan” and “Breath Meditation.” We developed a German version of the MAIA and tested it in a large and diverse sample (n = 1,076). Internal consistencies were similar to the English version (0.56– 0.89), retest reliability was high (r s: 0.66–0.79), and the MAIA showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Importantly, interoceptive training improved five out of eight aspects of IA, compared to a retest control group. Participants with low IA scores at baseline showed the biggest changes. Whereas practice duration only weakly predicted individual differences in change, self-reported liking of the practices and degree of integration into daily life predicted changes on most scales. Interestingly, the magnitude of observed changes varied across scales. The strongest changes were observed for the regulatory aspects of IA, that is, how the body is used for self-regulation in daily life. No significant changes were observed for the Noticing aspect (becoming aware of bodily changes), which is the aspect that is predominantly assessed in other IA measures. This differential pattern underscores the importance to assess IA multi-dimensionally, particularly when interested in enhancement of IA through contemplative practice or other mind–body interventions.

scholarly journals Phantom limb pain intensity is associated with generalized hyperalgesia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xaver Fuchs ◽  
Martin Diers ◽  
Jörg Trojan ◽  
Pinar Kirsch ◽  
Christopher Milde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phantom Limb Pain ◽  
The Body ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Sensory Threshold ◽  
Heat Pain ◽  
Residual Limb ◽  
Limb Pain ◽  
Somatosensory Sensitivity ◽  
Generalized Hyperalgesia

AbstractAfter limb amputation, most amputees suffer from phantom limb pain (PLP). The mechanisms underlying this condition are complex and insufficiently understood. Altered somatosensory sensitivity (either heightened or lowered) might contribute to PLP. Recent studies have tested this assumption but mainly focused on the residual limb. However, altered somatosensation in PLP might be generalized. In this study, we applied quantitative sensory testing to 37 unilateral upper-limb amputees (23 with PLP, 14 without PLP) and 19 healthy controls. We assessed thresholds to heat pain (HPT), pressure pain (PPT), warmth detection (WDT), and two-point discrimination (2PDT) at the residual limb, a homologous point and the thenar of the intact limb, and both corners of the mouth. We did not find significant differences in any of the thresholds between the groups. However, higher PLP intensity was significantly related to lower HPT at all measured body sites except for the residual limb. At the residual limb, lower HPT were observed in more distal amputations and in amputees showing a higher degree of prosthesis use. Although WDT did by itself not significantly correlate with PLP intensity at any of the body sites, multiple regression analysis showed the highest multiple correlations with PLP intensity for a combination of high WDT and low HPT at the corners of the mouth. In this model, the combination of HPT and WDT shared 58% of the variance with PLP intensity. Other factors of potential importance, especially residual limb pain, were not significantly associated to any sensory threshold. We conclude that the intensity, but not the presence of PLP is positively associated with higher heat pain sensitivity. Since this association was observed at various, distributed body sites, we suggest that central mechanisms might be underlying such generalized hyperalgesia.

Epidural block and phantom limb pain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Schug
Keyword(s):  
Epidural Analgesia ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Phantom Limb Pain ◽  
Epidural Block ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Limb Pain ◽  
Epidural Group ◽  
Number Of Patients

The landmark paper discussed in this chapter, published by Bach et al. in 1988 is a Danish paper that describes a study where patients who were to undergo lower-limb amputation received either preventive, preoperative epidural analgesia for 72 hours before the amputation, or systemic analgesia. At 6 and 12 months post-operatively, all patients in the epidural group were pain free, while 38% and 27%, respectively, in the control group had phantom limb pain. The study has been criticized for a number of points including the pseudorandomization by year of birth, the lack of any blinding, and the small number of patients used in the study (only 25 patients overall).

Body Awareness and Yoga Training

1994 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 1103-1106 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Jhansi Rani ◽  
P. V. Krishna Rao
Keyword(s):  
Body Awareness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hatha Yoga ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Trained Group

This study was done to investigate whether the practice of hatha yoga enhances the awareness of the normal, nonemotive bodily processes. A yoga-trained group of 17 and a control group of 19 were administered the Body Awareness Questionnaire. Analysis showed that the yoga-trained group had a significantly better body awareness than the control group.

Perception of the Upright in Relation to Body Image

1956 ◽  
Vol 102 (428) ◽  
pp. 487-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Body Schema ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Philosophical Problem ◽  
Psychological Aspect ◽  
Space And Time ◽  
Postural Changes

The Concept of the Body Image and the Perception of the Human BodyThe consideration of our awareness of our own bodies ceased to be wholly a philosophical problem when Pick (1908) and Head and Holmes (1911), having observed neurological disturbances of body awareness, first suggested the concept of a Body Image or Body Schema. The concept, has in its slow growth, become at times confused and has always resisted satisfactory definition. Pick himself made no attempt to define it, while for Head and Holmes it was a “postural model of the body” being constantly built up and changed by every new posture and movement and forming a “plastic schema” which was “the fundamental standard against which all postural changes are measured“. Schilder (1935) greatly enriched the concept by emphasizing not only its physiological and neuropathological basis but its psychological aspect. He defined it thus: “The image of the human body means the picture of our own body which we form in our mind, that is to say the way in which the body appears to ourselves.” This was a comprehensive “body image”; more than a perception or mere representation and including even Head and Holmes's “Body Schema“. The Body Schema concept has been more recently defined by Clifford Scott (1948) as “that conscious or unconscious integration of sensations, perceptions, conceptions, affects, memories or images of the body from the surface to its depths and from its surfaces to the limits of space and time”.

Effects of Body Image on Tactile Sensitivity to a Tickle: A Study of Pregnancy

1979 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vezio Ruggieri ◽  
Maria Milizia ◽  
M. Francesca Romano
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Body Schema ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tactile Sensitivity ◽  
Third Trimester ◽  
The Third ◽  
Actual Duration ◽  
The Right

A group of 20 middle-class women between 20 and 40 yr. of age and in the third trimester of pregnancy was compared with a control group of 20 non-pregnant women for cutaneous sensitivity (to a tickle) and for modifications of body schema which were hypothesized to occur during pregnancy. Latency and actual duration were considered in the perception of the tickle. Body schema were studied using two of Fisher's tests, Body Prominence and Body Carhexis. Pregnancy leads to modifications in sensitivity to tickle, specifically with regard to the right half of the body and to some extent in body schema.

scholarly journals The role of pre-reflexive processes in learning how to fight: contributions from phenomenology

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2s) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Thabata Castelo Branco Telles ◽  
Cristiano Barreira
Keyword(s):  
Body Schema ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Way

<div><p>This study consists of a description on pre-reflexive processes in learning how to fight. The objective of this investigation is to present and discuss them through phenomenology as a philosophical and methodological point of view. It is a way to comprehend each phenomenon from its own structure, not apart from the reality of those who live it. In embodied corporal practices, the body constantly moves and there is not much time for the practitioner to reflect before choosing and doing each technique. We briefly present the main concepts to promote an understanding on pre-reflexive acts through phenomenology: body, awareness/consciousness, perception, body schema, habit. This can broaden the way we usually see the learning processes, which cannot count only on explanation of techniques. A practice to be embodied must be lived by the body. We must enable the bodies to be challenged not only to learn or master a technique but also to generate new perceptions and movements in the situations we are in. One can only learn how to fight when fighting.</p></div>

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