Effect of Lower Limb Muscle Fatigue on Fall Risk for Transfemoral Amputee: A Pilot Study.
Mohd Khairuddin Mohd Safee, Noor Azuan Abu Osman
PMID 34707468WHAT IT FOUND
Fatigue from sit-to-stand exercises significantly increased fall risk scores in transfemoral amputees.
Controls showed no significant change. The study was too small to confirm this difference is real or to prove fatigue causes more falls in amputees than in able-bodied people.
Key findings
01Fall risk scores increased significantly in the amputee group after the fatigue protocol (p = 0.018), but not in the control group (p = 0.149).
02There was no statistically significant difference in fall risk scores between the amputee and control groups before or after the fatigue protocol.
03The study was underpowered, with p-values between 0.05 and 0.1 suggesting the data might reflect a true effect but not confirming it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Very small sample size (n=14) and underpowered design. Only male participants aged 18-50 with high functional status; results do not apply to women, older adults, or those with lower mobility. No significant difference in fall risk between amputees and controls at any time point. Short-term assessment only; does not predict future falls.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that amputees have a higher fall risk than able-bodied people after fatigue. The study found no significant difference between the groups, and the within-group change in amputees may reflect the small sample size rather than a true clinical disparity.