“Prosthetists and rehabilitation clinicians would benefit from an assessment tool that discriminates between and quantifies the multiple determinants that influence the lower-limb amputee’s performance and satisfaction of a prosthetic socket,” according to a study published August 10 in Prosthetics and Orthotics International. To that end, lead author Robert Gailey, PhD, PT, and a research team from the University of Miami, Western Michigan University, and the Miami VA Healthcare System set out to determine the internal consistency of a comprehensive lower-limb amputee socket survey, a new self-report measure of prosthetic socket satisfaction that quantifies suspension, stability, comfort, and appearance.
Interviews were conducted with prosthetists, physical therapists, and people with lower-limb amputations to identify clinical concerns and common activities influencing socket fit. An expert panel of five clinicians reviewed the items and constructed the original version of the comprehensive lower-limb amputee socket survey which was then administered to a convenience sample of 47 active individuals with lower-limb amputations. Item analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to determine the final version of the survey.
A standardized multidimensional assessment measure of socket satisfaction would enable prosthetists to quantify the multiple determinants of socket satisfaction, improve patient communication, and demonstrate the value of socket interventions, according to the study’s authors.
