Predicting walking capacity, walking performance, and life space mobility using socket comfort in lower-limb prosthesis users.

The study was a cross-sectional secondary analysis of baseline data, so it cannot show that changing socket comfort changes walking outcomes. It excluded people with a Socket Comfort Score below 6 and medical conditions preventing exercise, so it mainly represents relatively comfortable, higher-functioning prosthesis users. Most participants were male and had below-knee amputation, so the results may not apply to other lower-limb prosthesis users. Five participants had missing step count data because of equipment failure, and one participant skipped each of the balance and walking-talking tests. Step count was recorded over only one week and captures only the number of steps, not the type of walking.

Do not conclude that improving socket comfort will increase real-world step count. Socket comfort did not predict step count after demographic and clinical variables were considered, and the sample excluded people with low comfort scores.