Critical Reviews™ in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

ISSN for PRINT: 0896-2960

For Online Access

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2003, Volume15

Issue 3&4

175 pages

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevPhysRehabilMed.v15.i34

Issue price - $326.00

Miroslav Jelic., MD, PhD
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Devices, University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia

Reuben Eldar, MD, DPH
Loewenstein Hospital–Rehabilitation Center, Raanana, Israel

The rehabilitation process and its effectiveness in major lower limb traumatic amputations were reviewed. The review involved critical studies of pertinent reports published in the relevant English-language literature. One hundred fourteen such reports were studied in depth, and their main findings are communicated. Twenty-five (21.9%) of them were published between 1975 and 1989, and the majority (89 or 78.1%) were published from 1990 onward. Rehabilitation starts in the preamputation phase, and throughout the process, the role of rehabilitation physicians in all treatment decisions is pivotal, the involvement of rehabilitation therapists is essential for maximizing patients' mobility and independence, and the psychological support that is provided is very important. Successful rehabilitation relates to both prosthetic mobility performance and an individual's overall level of function in his or her community. Adequate walking with prostheses is available for the majority of traumatic lower limb amputees, but additional ways must be pursued to enhance their full psychosocial integration.

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevPhysRehabilMed.v15.i34.40 Download article, 18 pages

Article price - $35.00

<< Previous article   Next article >>