Issues faced by people with amputation(s) during lower limb prosthetic rehabilitation: A thematic analysis.
Shruti Turner, Athina Belsi, Alison H McGregor
PMID 34789709WHAT IT FOUND
Prosthesis users described lower limb prosthetic rehabilitation as shaped by service variation, changing limb volume and sweat, rigid socket fit, heavy or basic components, and resulting limits on work, social life, and independence.
Key findings
01Ten prosthesis users with lower limb amputations described five interrelated themes: external service issues, body changes, ill-fit consequences, prosthesis irritants, and work/social impact.
02Participants described waiting times and socket manufacture delays as making a test socket no longer fit the final socket.
03Participants described inability to wear the prosthesis as affecting work, and basic componentry as affecting hobby participation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The analysed group was small, with ten participants, and was recruited from a survey focused on socket fit, so the themes may not represent all prosthesis users. Only a small number of reviewers evaluated the themes, which can limit confidence that the analysis captured all perspectives. Participants were recruited through social media and contacts, and relationships between participants were not monitored, so responses may come from a non-representative convenience group. The study reports prosthesis user experiences only, not clinician or service outcomes, and it does not test whether any change in socket, liner, component, or service improves rehabilitation. The conclusion mentions relevant clinicians, but the analysis included only prosthesis user responses.
Declared interests
The authors reported no financial support and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that a specific socket, liner, component, or service model improves rehabilitation. They describe experiences from a small group and cannot establish effects.