Virtual Assessment of Functional Mobility in Lower Extremity Prosthesis Clients: An Exploratory Study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Digital Health

Background:

• Assessing lower extremity function in prosthesis users is crucial for rehabilitation.
• Traditional clinic visits can be burdensome for patients requiring prosthetic services.
• Home-based virtual assessments offer a potential alternative for mobility evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between patient-reported lower extremity function and virtual clinician assessment of mobility.
• To evaluate the feasibility of a home-based virtual platform for assessing mobility in lower limb prosthesis users.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive observational study was conducted.
• Participants completed a functional mobility survey and a timed Up and Go test via a HIPAA-compliant virtual platform.
• Twelve lower limb loss clients using prostheses were included.

Main Results:

• Most participants found basic indoor ambulation and toileting easy (66%-75%), but struggled with running or prolonged activities (83%).
• The timed Up and Go test results were faster than reference ranges for transtibial prosthesis users.
• Mobility test results were negatively associated with self-reported functional status (r=-.70, P=.02).

Conclusions:

• Home-based virtual assessment of mobility for lower limb prosthesis users is feasible.
• This modality may decrease therapy visit frequency and rehabilitation costs.
• Virtual assessments can reduce travel burdens for patients attending distant prosthetic clinics.