Pain issues and treatment of the person with an amputation.

Most people with amputations should not experience pain that interferes with their quality of life or requires regular medication more than 6 months following the amputation surgery. In fact, most people with amputations do not experience significant pain more than 3 months following the amputation. However, the clinician must specifically define what these patients mean when they relate that they have pain.

Prosthetic rehabilitation issues in the diabetic and dysvascular amputee.

Evaluation and management of diabetic and dysvascular patients with lower limb amputation begins with a thorough history and physical examination. A pre-prosthetic and prosthetic program of physical therapy, pain management, psychological assessment, and education helps patients resume functional mobility and gain acceptance of the limb loss. Physicians and prosthetic teams work together to design and prescribe the most appropriate prosthetic device for patients to reach maximal functional level.

Study of the Independence IBOT 3000 Mobility System: an innovative power mobility device, during use in community environments.

Objective: To test the safe and effective use of a new mobility device, the Independence IBOT 3000 Mobility System, by people with a disability.

Design: A prospective, balanced, open-label evaluation that used participants as their own controls.

Setting: Home and community environments.