How Inpatient Rehabilitation Can Help New Amputees

An amputation is a devastating and life-changing event, but appropriate support and rehabilitation programmes can help those who have lost limbs regain their independence and return to an active lifestyle. Inpatient rehabilitation for new amputees not only provides intensive, regular therapy, it also provides round-the-clock care from qualified clinicians. This enables continuous monitoring and pain control.

The causes of amputation are numerous but the trauma of losing a limb is always life-changing. So, patients need emotional and mental support in addition to physical care. Even the most positive people require assistance as they learn to navigate their new reality.

Causes and risk factors of amputation

Amputation is the removal of a physical part of the body, such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg, through surgery or an injury. It can be a life-altering experience that affects your capacity to move, work, socialise, and preserve your independence. Recovery might be hampered by persistent pain, phantom limb occurrences, and emotional stress.

Amputee physical therapy starts after amputation surgery. Amputations can occur as a result of a car accident, an occupational or industrial mishap, a military injury, or an illness. A body part can be severed or pulled away, or it can be so extensively damaged from a crush injury or severe burns that it cannot be salvaged.

Any part of the body that succumbs to infection and tissue damage that cannot be healed or endangers the patient’s life, surgical amputation may be the only remedy. Tissue death can be caused by trauma or disease that shuts off blood flow to a body component for an extended period of time, necessitating an amputation. Frostbite, for example, can damage the blood veins in the fingers and toes, necessitating their amputation.

Diabetes, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, smoking, advanced age, chronic renal failure, and hereditary factors are just some of the key risk factors, which is why it is so important to take responsibility for our health and wellbeing, especially ensuring a good diet and plenty of exercise.

The stages of amputation recovery

As with any intense recovery, the phases of amputation rehabilitation can be a long, demanding, and emotionally challenging process. The loss of a lower limb has a severe impact on a person’s mobility and affects many aspects of daily living.

The goal of below knee amputation rehabilitation is to help the patient move about successfully and return to a high level of social reintegration. These are the common phases of rehabilitation after an amputation but not everyone will experience the same milestones.

Acute Postoperative

Physical therapy for new amputees begins immediately after the amputation and focuses on wound healing, managing pain, body motion, and emotional support. The amputation procedure can be intensely emotional, so the grieving process is necessary after the loss of a limb. While there are no easy stages of recovery, this one is particularly difficult. New amputees struggle to accept their mobility limitations, but physical therapy can help them develop coping abilities at this time.

In the UK, inpatient rehabilitation is very limited and only offered by the NHS. In many other countries such as the US, inpatient amputation rehabilitation is more widely available.

Rehab at this point focuses on limb protection and shaping, which helps prosthetic options succeed in the future. The postoperative phase is done in hospital and concentrates on specialised exercises to develop strength and exercise tolerance.

Before Getting a Prosthetic

In this stage, therapists continue to build on from the acute postoperative period, focusing mostly on limb strengthening, flexibility, and final shaping to prepare for the prosthesis fitting. There is constant monitoring of the patient’s progress as well as ongoing counselling. Experimenting with walking aids may happen to determine which form of prosthetic limb is appropriate for the patient.

Prosthetic Prescription

Prescribing the prosthetic is critical in amputation recovery. Casting and measuring a patient’s point of amputation, as well as fitting the primary prosthesis to the patient, are all part of the procedure. The fitting process is critical to the prosthetic’s comfort and performance, and the alignment and length must be perfect while standing and walking. During the fitting, the physiotherapist may be there to aid with the process and assist with ensuring proper alignment.

Prosthetic Training

Patients must master basic prosthetic abilities, such as weight-bearing and balance, after obtaining their device. Putting on and taking off the prosthesis, changing footwear and clothes, and maintenance are all incorporated into training. The patient will then perform balance and sensory reintegration, muscle and gait training for limb prosthetics. For arm prosthetics, other skills will be taught to help the patient effectively use the device for daily tasks.

Reintegration

As part of rehabilitation after amputation, therapists help the patient prepare for returning to certain activities throughout this stage. The rehabilitation strategy will be adapted to their unique requirements and objectives. If a patient wants to run, swim, or drive, the physical therapist will guide them through exercises to assist them attain this objective.

Maintenance

If the patient’s goals change, they may need to return to therapy to learn new abilities or have a new prosthesis fitted. The patient determines the rehabilitation goals in the end, and rehabilitation therapists do what they can to ensure the patients to the level of activity and competency that they desire.

These amputation recovery stages may differ and take longer for different people, depending on the type of injury, support system, emotional and mental state, and continued effort needed by all involved.

Final Thoughts

Amputations are sometimes medically necessary and sometimes lifesaving, but they can also be physically and emotionally devastating. Patients who have lost a leg can benefit from amputation rehabilitation to help them recover, improve their quality of life, and adjust to their new reality. Other advantages of rehabilitation include:

Pain management, depression prevention, prosthetics education, and greater strength and movement are all benefits of utilizing prostheses.

Patients may find it difficult to care for themselves after an amputation. During amputation rehabilitation, however, the patient will learn how to manage day-to-day activities on their own. Patients will develop confidence as their grasp of their illness improves as a result of regular patient education and training. The rehab team can also assist in identifying home or workplace improvements that will make it easier for the patient to handle on their own.

Amputations can be physically and emotionally devastating, but specialised inpatient rehabilitation for new amputees can be a lifesaver.

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