Prosthetic Foot Selection for Individuals with Lower-Limb Amputation: A Clinical Practice Guideline

This guideline was developed to present current evidence and to provide associated clinical recommendations on prosthetic foot selection for individuals with lower-limb amputation.

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The guideline is based upon the best available evidence as it relates prosthetic foot selection during the provision of definitive lower-limb prostheses. Where possible, recommendations are drawn from Cochrane Review, meta-analysis, systematic and narrative literature reviews, and published evidence-based guidelines. Where this standard is unavailable, alternate academic literature has been used to support individual recommendations.

Recommendation 1: For patients ambulating at a single speed who require greater stability during weight acceptance because of weak knee extensors or poor balance, a single-axis foot should be considered. Recommendation 2: Patients at elevated risks for overuse injury (i.e., osteoarthritis) to the sound-side lower limb and lower back are indicated for an energy-storage-and-return (ESAR) foot to reduce the magnitude of the cyclical vertical impacts experienced during weight acceptance. Recommendation 3: Neither patient age nor amputation etiology should be viewed as primary considerations in prosthetic foot type. Recommendation 4: Patients capable of variable speed and/or community ambulation are indicated for ESAR feet.

These clinical practice guidelines summarize the available evidence related to prosthetic foot selection for individuals with lower limb amputation. The noted clinical practice guidelines are meant to serve only as "guides." They may not apply to all patients and clinical situations.