Dutch evidence-based guidelines for amputation and prosthetics of the lower extremity: Rehabilitation process and prosthetics. Part 2.

Background: A structured, multidisciplinary approach in the rehabilitation process after amputation is needed that includes a greater focus on the involvement of both (para)medics and prosthetists. There is considerable variation in prosthetic prescription concerning the moment of initial prosthesis fitting and the use of replacement parts.

Objectives: To produce an evidence-based guideline for the amputation and prosthetics of the lower extremities.

Dutch evidence-based guidelines for amputation and prosthetics of the lower extremity: Amputation surgery and postoperative management. Part 1.

Background: Surgeons still use a range of criteria to determine whether amputation is indicated. In addition, there is considerable debate regarding immediate postoperative management, especially concerning the use of 'immediate/delayed fitting' versus conservative elastic bandaging.

Objectives: To produce an evidence-based guideline for the amputation and prosthetics of the lower extremities.

Vibrotactile grasping force and hand aperture feedback for myoelectric forearm prosthesis users.

Background: User feedback about grasping force and hand aperture is very important in object handling with myoelectric forearm prostheses but is lacking in current prostheses. Vibrotactile feedback increases the performance of healthy subjects in virtual grasping tasks, but no extensive validation on potential users has been performed.

Objectives: Investigate the performance of upper-limb loss subjects in grasping tasks with vibrotactile stimulation, providing hand aperture, and grasping force feedback.

Feasibility of error-based electrotactile and auditive feedback in prosthetic walking.

Background And Aim: Several studies have shown that feedback in upper-leg prostheses is possible, but slow or difficult to interpret. In this study, electrotactile and auditive error-based feedback, only giving feedback when an undesired event occurs, were tested for its use in upper-leg prosthesis when provided during a perturbation.

Technique: A total of nine healthy subjects walked on a prosthetic simulator which was disturbed at the end of the swing phase.

Dynamic Balance Control (DBC) in lower leg amputee subjects; contribution of the regulatory activity of the prosthesis side.

Background: Regaining effective postural control after lower limb amputation requires complex adaptation strategies in both the prosthesis side and the non-amputated side. The objective in this study is to determine the individual contribution of the ankle torques generated by both legs in balance control during dynamic conditions.

Methods: Subjects (6 transfemoral and 8 transtibial amputees) stood on a force platform mounted on a motion platform and were instructed to stand quietly.

Gait in children with cerebral palsy: observer reliability of Physician Rating Scale and Edinburgh Visual Gait Analysis Interval Testing scale.

The aim of this study was to test the inter- and intraobserver reliability of the Physician Rating Scale (PRS) and the Edinburgh Visual Gait Analysis Interval Testing (GAIT) scale for use in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Both assessment scales are quantitative observational scales, evaluating gait. The study involved 24 patients ages 3 to 10 years (mean age 6.