This study sets out to examine the physical and psychological effects of amputation on marriage and family life; assess the extent to which the needs of the younger amputee are being met from current rehabilitation resources, and to ascertain how the non-disabled regard amputation and its consequences. Interviews were conducted with a group of 19 amputees and a group of 40 non-disabled individu...

Since the autumn of 2001, a multidisciplinary plastic surgery (PS) and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) outpatient amputee clinic has been in place at St Joseph's Health Centre/Parkwood Hospital in London, Ontario. To date, more than 140 new patients have been seen in combined consultations. The present paper reviews the demographics, interventions and outcomes of the patients seen be...

Outcome measures are becoming increasingly important in health care. Functional outcome measures are of particular importance for lower limb amputees since much of the rehabilitation process is concerned with increasing mobility and personal independence. The Scottish Physiotherapy Amputee Research Group (SPARG) has used three measures of functional outcome: the Barthel Index, Russek's classifi...

Technological advances in upper-limb prosthetic design offer dramatically increased possibilities for powered movement. The DEKA Arm system allows users 10 powered degrees of movement. Learning to control these movements by utilizing a set of motions that, in most instances, differ from those used to obtain the desired action prior to amputation is a challenge for users. In the Department of Ve...

[Purpose] Dysfunction of lower extremity muscles is one risk factor of falls for amputee patients. However, the change in muscle activity pattern and balance ability of amputees who have no experience in standing with prosthesis during the period from prosthesis fitting to regaining the ability to walk has never been studied. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to elucidate chan...

rhroughout the United States and Canada an estimated 80 percent of all major elective civilian amputations result from ischemia. All but a relatively few involve the lower extremity. Significant improvements in below-knee prostheses and important advances in surgical and postsurgical management now allow amputation below the knee in a majority of patients. In a consecutive series of 96 unselect...

Background: Prosthetic devices should provide proper alignment of segments and joints for efficient gait. Rehabilitation specialists should carefully assess the best fit of prosthesis for proper force distribution and comfort. The purpose of this paper was to examine the three-dimensional forces of a permanent prosthesis compared with the temporary prosthesis of an amputee during gait. Case des...

OBJECTIVE Decision making within amputee rehabilitation includes the assessment of whether a patient is suitable for a prosthesis and if so, what components to provide. This study seeks to increase understanding about clinicians' perspectives on what factors influence these decisions. METHOD One-to-one semi-structured interviews were completed with 23 experienced clinicians at their place of ...