Current Trends in Lower Extremity Amputations & Prosthetics for the Physical & Occupational Therapist:

Instructors: Scott Love, PT, DPT, DHS, CPA, MPT & Carissa Lane, PT, DPT

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Course Description:

This seminar examines a clinician’s role as an interprofessional team member to determine patient need, prescribe, obtain, train in use of, and evaluate effectiveness of lower extremity prosthetics. There is an emphasis on management of patient/clients with lower extremity amputations and common etiologies related to specific limb amputations, the associated impairments, and the expected outcomes. Pre-operative care and education for patients with lower extremity amputations, including pre-operative positioning and exercises based on examination findings will be presented.

Attendees will experience hands-on demonstration of modern prosthetics related to limb amputation including basic components, biomechanics, alignment, material properties, fabrications, and fitting principles of prostheses. Biomechanical principles will be discussed related to gait, balance, and mobility assessments and interventions in individuals utilizing prostheses. Common gait deviations in patients with lower extremity amputations will be analyzed and instruction on determining the possible prosthetic and patient causes will be discussed. The participant will learn techniques to promote recovery through activities and therapeutic techniques that encourage independence and community re-entry for clients that use prostheses and those who do not.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this seminar, the attendees should be able to:

•  Examine specific pathologies and risk factors that increase the likelihood of lower extremity amputation
• Discuss the major causes (diseases and pathology) of amputation, levels of amputation, and the expected outcomes for amputees
• Instruct patient on proper education, pre-operative, post-operative, positioning, hygiene procedures, wrapping, exercises, home program, and psychological support based on examination findings
• Identify and apply soft dressings, not limited to ACE bandages and shrinkers, as an intervention for edema control
• Describe post-operative rehabilitation for the lower extremity amputee from surgery through prosthetic fitting
• Identify the various types of prosthetic sockets, suspensions, knees, and feet with rationale for their use
• Differentiate various environmental considerations and other important patient examination findings to determine Medicare Functional Classification Levels (K-Levels)
• Apply biomechanics of the normal gait cycle and discuss how these principles relate to the movement compensations during prosthetic gait
• Analyze common gait deviations for transfemoral and transtibial amputees
• Discuss and apply a prosthetic training program for a transfemoral and transtibial amputees
• Organize a final checkout for the patient with a transfemoral or a transtibial prosthesis