Researchers at the Brunel University School of Health Sciences and Social Care, Middlesex, England, and the University of Otago Centre for Health, Activity, and Rehabilitation Research, Dunedin, New Zealand, undertook a study to examine the turning performance of individuals whose transtibial amputations were caused by vascular disease. The results were published April 26 in the Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
For the study, six people with dysvascular transtibial amputations (69.83 ± 6.3 years) and six people with traumatic transtibial amputees (68.3 ± 6.6 years) completed the Step Quick Turn test of the NeuroCom® Balance Master and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. The researchers measured each participant’s turn time and turn sway in the Step Quick Turn test, turning 180 degrees to both the prosthetic and the sound side, and the time taken to complete the TUG test.
The collected data showed a significant difference between the dysvascular and traumatic groups in turn sway to the prosthetic and sound sides. Similar results were observed in turn time to the prosthetic and sound sides. No significant difference was observed for the TUG Test.
The researchers concluded that people with dysvascular amputations are less able to adapt to the challenges associated with turning, and that during rehabilitation, attention should given to turning tasks, particularly towards the prosthetic side.
