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• Statistics from American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
• Statistics from About One Hand Typing

Prevention:

Use safety equipment and safe practices when using factory, farm, or power tools. Wear seat belts when driving a motor vehicle. Use safety precautions at all times.

Awareness

• People are more alike than they are different.
• Identify and develop an appreciation for each persons strengths and accomplishments.
• Become aware of the affect on daily activities.

Viewpoint

Phantom limb pain, stump pain and phantom limb sensation describe the feelings of people who are missing a limb or part of a limb.

Needs and Solutions

• Emergency and critical care management
• Surgery
• Prosthesis - artificial limb
• Rehab: begins after surgery during the acute treatment phase. As the patient's condition improves, a more extensive rehabilitation program is often begun.

  The success of rehabilitation depends on many variables, including the following:

  • How well the rehabilitation meets the needs of the individual patient
  • Level and type of amputation
  • Type and degree of any resulting impairments and disabilities
  • Impact of patients self-image
  • Overall health of the patient
  • Family support

  The goal of rehabilitation after an amputation is to help the patient return to the highest level of function and independence possible, while improving the overall quality of life - physically, emotionally, and socially.

  In order to help reach these goals, amputation rehabilitation programs may include the following:

  • Treatments to help improve wound healing and stump care
  • Activities and trainingto help improve motor skills, restore activities of daily living (ADLs), and help the patient reach maximum independence
  • Exercises that promote muscle strength, endurance, and control
  • Fitting and use of artificial limbs (prostheses)
  • Pain management for both post-operative and phantom pain (a sensation of pain that occurs below the level of the amputation)
  • Emotional support to help during the grieving period and with readjustment to a new body image
  • Education
    • Understand the types, functions and limitations of prostheses.
    • Understand the sensations of phantom limb pain.
    • Understand the grieving of loss of limb.
  • Hygiene and nutritional counseling to promote healing and health
  • Vocational counseling
  • Positive Reinforcement
    • Adapting the home environment for ease of function, safety, accessibility, and mobility
    • Opportunities in the home and in the community
  • Patient and family education

Learn More about Amputation and Limb Loss

References

• Person to Person, by L. Gething, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland, 1992, p. 63.
• Disability and Rehabilitation Handbook, by Robert Goldenson, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 1978, p.219.
• U.S. National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus
• Living with Limb Differences: a guide for people to deal with limb loss and working with prostheses Amputee Coalition.
• University of Virginia, Health System, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Amputation

For more on the topic of Amputation /Limb Differences

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