A survey of physiotherapists involved in paediatric lower limb amputee rehabilitation in the British Isles

Physical therapists demonstrate clinical behaviors consistent with established clinical practice guidelines in managing individuals following amputation

“…This study offers insight into why clinical practice guidelines influence physical therapy clinical practice. For example, clinical practice guidelines may be beneficial in situations where the clinical presentation is common, however, in those that are complex, the need for highly individualised care may be better facilitated by independent clinician decision making (Treby & Main, 2007) P4 -Special consideration for specific populations Special consideration is given to the needs of specific populations when managing the person with amputation About 40% of physical therapists referred onto an exercise professional for high-functioning individuals with amputation.…”

“…This study offers insight into why clinical practice guidelines influence physical therapy clinical practice. For example, clinical practice guidelines may be beneficial in situations where the clinical presentation is common, however, in those that are complex, the need for highly individualised care may be better facilitated by independent clinician decision making (Treby & Main, 2007 ). Therefore, clinical practice guideline may offer physical therapists strategies to enhance comprehensive and coordinated care within the context of individualised care delivery.…”

Exercise training program in children with lower-limb amputation

“…First, according to the authors' knowledge, there is no clear consensus on the best practice guideline regarding the physical therapy process that should be carried out by a child following lower-limb amputation. Second, children have complex and specific rehabilitation needs that are distinguishable from those of adults (i.e., expected skeletal growth, functional demand on the locomotor system and prosthesis, appositional bone stump overgrowth, and psychological challenges) 10 , implying that they require tailored rehabilitation programs that are different from the ones usually carried out with adult populations 11 . Finally, it is difficult to engage children in prescribed exercise rehabilitation programs, due to the inclusion of repetitive and often tedious tasks during the exercises, which suggests the need for exploring the efficacy of other dynamic and more attractive therapy approaches for younger amputees 12 .…”

Conceptual design of 3D-printed active prosthetic arm with soft grippers for toddlers

“…Muscle atrophy occurs in cases where a lack of activity causes the muscle to weaken and reduces its size, this is apparent in amputees as the affected limb will normally be used less frequently and bare none or minimal load [5]. Targeted physiotherapy can reduce muscle atrophy, although this is not always readily available [6] and may be unworkable depending on the receptiveness of the child. The fitting of a prosthetic that allows functionally, such as grasping and lifting objects, will naturally develop these muscles, though some reduction in muscle mass will likely be present.…”