Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
Bioelectric Analyses of an Osseointegrated Intelligent Implant Design System for Amputees
Published on: July 15, 2009
Assessing the prosthetic needs of farmers and ranchers with amputations
Kathryn E Waldera1, Craig W Heckathorne, Margaret Parker
1Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Purpose:
Farmers and ranchers experience disabling injuries each year of which amputations account for 11%. Anecdotal evidence suggests that current prostheses may not be meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers with amputations. To better understand those prosthetic needs, a descriptive qualitative study was used to gather data with an engineering perspective.
Method:
Farmers with an upper- or lower-limb amputation were interviewed. Issues explored included current and past prostheses used, prosthetic failures, and ability to complete farm tasks using a prosthesis. Prosthetists providing services to this population were also interviewed to gain knowledge of specific devices and practises used in their geographic region.
Results:
Interviews with 40 farmers and 26 prosthetists revealed several common themes related to prostheses including durability/utility, environment, adaptation, cost, and education. Farmers and ranchers with amputations often made modifications to their prostheses, farm equipment, and daily routines in order to return to their vocation.
Conclusions:
Farmers and ranchers with amputations have distinct prosthetic needs. Their return to farming can be facilitated by creating more durable, affordable, and adaptable prosthetic components. Our results can help guide design of more comprehensive surveys for further information gathering and new devices and establish best prosthetic practises for farmers and those in other physically demanding professions.
