Physical activity behavior change for older veterans after dysvascular amputation

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Gerontology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Veterans with dysvascular lower-limb amputation (LLA) experience significant disability and low physical activity.
• Current rehabilitation strategies may not adequately address long-term physical activity and disability in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of a physical-activity behavior-change (PABC) intervention for Veterans 1-5 years post-dysvascular LLA.
• To assess the potential of PABC intervention to increase physical activity and reduce disability.

Main Methods:

• A cross-over, feasibility trial involving 32 Veterans with dysvascular LLA.
• A home-based, telerehabilitation approach to minimize participant burden.
• Participants received a 3-month PABC intervention or an attention control, with groups crossing over.

Main Results:

• Feasibility assessed via participant retention, dose attainment, acceptability, and safety.
• Initial effect size measured by accelerometer-based physical activity and self-reported disability (Late-Life Function and Disability Index).

Conclusions:

• The study focuses on a prevalent, understudied population with high disability.
• Findings will guide future targeted rehabilitation research to improve long-term outcomes for Veterans with LLA.