- Rehabilitation after amputation
- Aims of rehabilitation
- Teach the patient how to use prosthesis
- Improve balance, endurance and strength
- After amputation the amount of energy necessary for walking increases a lot, so endurance and strength are important
- Prevents secondary disabilities
- Contractures, especially flexion contracture
- Reduces phantom pain
- Hasten stump conditioning
- After amputation the stump is oedematous
- The oedema gradually and naturally shrinks, a process called stump conditioning
- Stump conditioning must finish before a permanent prosthesis can be designed, otherwise the prosthesis may not fit perfectly, causing problems
- Components of rehabilitation
- Strength exercises
- Balancing exercises
- Stretching
- Patient education
- The patient must learn to take care of the stump and the prosthesis
- Patient counselling