OBJECTIVES: To determine if increased prosthetic weight affects gait speed in dysvascular transfemoral amputees and to see if there is any patient preference for lighter versus heavier prostheses. DESIGN: Randomized prospective double-blind crossover trial. SETTING: Outpatient, tertiary care, amputee clinic in Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 10 subjects with unilateral transfemoral amputations because of peripheral vascular disease. All subjects were independent community ambulators over 50 years old. INTERVENTION: Seemingly identical weights of 150 g (placebo weight), 770g, and 1625g were added to the prosthesis 14 cm below the knee joint. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two-minute walk test (2MWT) and subject preference. RESULTS: The 2MWT results were not significantly influenced by weight added (mean 53.4 +/- 28.4 m, 55.1 +/- 28.9 m, and 52.8 +/- 26.7 m for 150 g, 770 g, and 1,625 g of added weight, respectively). Subject preference revealed that more than half preferred a weighted prosthesis over the "placebo" weight (5 subjects preferred 770 g added, 4 subjects preferred 150 g added, 1 preferred 1,625 g added). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term intervention with increased prosthetic mass had no significant adverse affect on gait speed, and more than half of the subjects preferred an added mass condition.

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