Improvements in Gait Following Controlled Body Weight Suspension for a Person with a Transfemoral Amputation.

Physical Therapy Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave. Glendale, Arizona 85308, United States of America.

Corresponding Author: Judith A. Woehrle, Physical Therapy Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave. Glendale, Arizona 85308, United States of America, Tel: 623-572-3921; E-Mail: [email protected]

Received Date: 06 Jan 2018  
Accepted Date: 31 Jan 2018  
Published Date: 02 Feb 2018

Copyright© 2018 Judith A. Woehrle 

Citation: Woehrle JA. (2018). Improvements in Gait Following Controlled Body Weight Suspension for a Person with a Transfemoral Amputation. Mathews J Orthop. 3(1): 018.

ABSTRACT

Background and Purpose: Gait deviations are a common problem observed in a patient while using a lower extremity prosthesis. The purpose of this case report is to describe rehabilitation techniques including proprioceptive facilitation techniques with body weight suspension to improve gait speed, cadence, step length, and stance time for an able-bodied person who had a transfemoral amputation. 

Case Report: This case report describes pertinent information addressing interventions for a patient with a left transfemoral amputation due to cancer. Outcome measures were taken prior to and following six sessions of interventions. The patient’s primary goal was to improve gait, which will help with walking greater distances with ease among a crowd of people.

Conclusion: Improvements were found with gait speed, step length, ambulation time, and step length differential. The most important factors in rehabilitation to improve gait parameters such as speed, cadence, and step length, are to ensure that the person has the ability to lift the prosthesis using the residual limb, control step length and foot placement with the prosthetic limb using timing and proprioceptive feedback while walking. The patient in this case had successful improvements following a protocol that emphasized lifting and timing of the prosthetic limb while walking.

Keywords: Above Knee Amputation; Body Weight Suspension; Rehabilitation; Gait; Gait Speed; Cadence; Body Weight Suspension.