FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES OF BILATERAL TRANSFEMORAL AMPUTEES USING FULL-LENGTH AND STUBBY-LENGTH PROSTHESES.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science
• Prosthetics and Orthotics

Background:

• Contralateral amputations often follow unilateral amputations, leading to bilateral transfemoral amputations.
• Bilateral transfemoral amputees using prostheses are an understudied population.
• Establishing reference values for this group is crucial for understanding their mobility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference values for bilateral transfemoral amputees using stubby or full-length articulating prostheses.
• To compare mobility and functional performance between users of different prosthesis types.

Main Methods:

• Collected anthropometric and demographic data.
• Administered the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire-Mobility Subscale 12/5 (PEQ-MS).
• Conducted physical mobility tests including gait analysis and the Four Square Step Test (FSST).

Main Results:

• Full-length prosthesis users reported lower difficulty on 8/12 PEQ-MS tasks compared to stubby users.
• Both groups exhibited increased stance phase and double limb support during gait.
• Stubby users had reduced gait velocity but similar cadence compared to full-length users; FSST times were comparable.

Conclusions:

• Reference values for bilateral transfemoral amputees using stubby and full-length prostheses were established.
• Identified specific mobility challenges and normal ambulation patterns for this population.
• Findings can inform clinical assessments and prosthetic fitting for bilateral transfemoral amputees.