Post-amputation rehabilitation
Losing a limb in an amputation is difficult to live with. Losing a leg or an arm requires major rehabilitation that must be undertaken in stages. From learning how to bandage the stump to wearing a prosthesis, the person must make several visits to doctors, prosthetists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
When the amputation involves the lower limb, the person must learn to walk again. This is a time-consuming ordeal that requires several rehabilitation sessions. In addition to follow-up in public institutions, the person can complete the therapy at Neuro-Concept. In addition to our expertise in physiotherapy, we use robotics and new technologies such as the G-EO System walking robot, the Kinesim (robotic platform for balance work) and the Jintronix (interactive games). Having these possibilities allows for intensive training that further stimulates learning in people with severe motor disorders. It is a real opportunity to improve your walking pattern faster.
It is well established in the literature1 that approximately 40% of the gait cycle occurs in the oscillating phase (when the leg is swung forward), and 60% in the supporting phase (when the foot is in contact with the ground). After amputation, this ratio is compromised and the gait is destabilized. Compensations set in and must be quickly corrected in order to avoid developing bad habits that are difficult to lose. For example, if a lameness sets in, it causes additional stress on both legs, trunk and back. The person then puts themselves at risk for future injuries and also expends more energy to maintain body alignment and balance. Walking requires 10 to 40% more energy after a below-knee amputation and 60 to 100% above the knee2. It is therefore in your best interest to follow a walking training session supervised by a therapist who is an expert in movement analysis (physiotherapist, kinesiologist or physical rehabilitation therapist) in order to teach you the best techniques.
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References:
- Physical Therapy Management of Lower Extremity Amputations, de Gertrude Mensh et Patricia M. Ellis, Ed. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd (1987).
- Le Manuel Merk. Page consultée le 7 novembre 2019. https://www.merckmanuals.com/fr-ca/accueil/fondamentaux/rééducation/rééducation-après-l’amputation-d’un-membre.