A research team investigated correlations between sociodemographic and clinical factors and prosthesis use in community ambulation among subjects with lower-limb amputations. The researchers concluded that prosthesis use increases the restoration of community participation, especially in men with transtibial amputations. The identification of predictive factors may help rehabilitation approaches, the authors wrote.
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 302 subjects (240 men and 62 women) who received similar rehabilitative treatment were collected by a telephone survey with a structured questionnaire.
Community ambulation recovery, in terms of the patient’s autonomy and participation, was assessed with the Walking Handicap Scale.
Increasing age was negatively correlated with the outcome, while pain intensity was not significant.
Being male (75.4 percent); having a transtibial amputation level (9.79 percent); working before (3.81 percent) and after amputation (7.68 percent); and prosthesis use (24.63 percent) increased the probability of community ambulation recovery.
The open-access study, “Community ambulation in people with lower limb amputation,” was published in Medicine.
