This study investigated the relative effectiveness of two treatment modalities used in the early rehabilitation of weight-shifting activities of elderly below-knee (BK) amputees -- augmented sensory feedback versus the traditional approach. Eleven amputees were randomly allocated to two groups. The experimental group (n = 5) used audio feedback from a Limb Load Monitor during the standing balance exercises, whereas the control group (n = 6) used mirrors and verbal feedback. Sway and weight-bearing patterns were evaluated with the use of a force plate, prior to and following eight nonconsecutive days of treatment. Although both treatment modalities were shown to be equally effective in the early retraining of stance of the amputees fitted with a prosthesis (p < 0.05), the investigators noted that the use of the Limb Load Monitor allowed for a quantification and control of weight bearing. When they compared the BK amputees to 30 normal subjects of a similar age group, the investigators found that the amputees swayed less than the normal individuals (p < 0.05), appeared to be dependent on vision for balance control, and tended to bear more weight on the non-amputated leg. In the course of prosthetic training, therapists should take into account the visual dependency of the amputees as well as their tendency to bear more weight on the non-amputated limb (because such weight bearing may be detrimental to the non-amputated limb of the amputee with vascular problems).

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PDF locator
• publisher