While mobility clinics are designed to improve mobility and quality of life for people with lower-limb amputations, the effectiveness of such clinics remains unknown.
A pilot study published online June 5 in Prosthetics and Orthotics International compared changes in mobility prior to, and 12 weeks following participation in a mobility clinic for people with lower-limb amputations, as well as to explain whether changes in mobility explained changes in quality of life. The study also aimed to determine whether the PLUS-M was sensitive to the effects of participation in the mobility clinic, and to estimate the sample size required for a definitive study.
Electronic versions of the PLUS-M and SF-36v2 were completed by people living in the community with lower-limb amputations prior to, and 12 weeks following participation in a mobility clinic.
Results of the study showed there was a significant increase in mobility from baseline to 12 weeks post-participation in the clinic (p = 0.012). Changes in mobility explained a significant proportion of variance in the SF-36v2 mental component summary (p = 0.024) but not the physical component summary (p = 0.804).
For people with lower-limb amputations, mobility increased after participation in the clinic and this explained improvements in SF-36v2 mental component summary, the study found. The study also concluded that the PLUS-M was sensitive enough to detect a change in mobility over time.
