References values and standardized testing protocols for performance-based and patient-reported outcome measures...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Standardized outcome measures and reference data are crucial for guiding rehabilitation and prosthetic prescription in lower limb amputation (LLA).
• Existing studies often lack population-specific reference values and detailed testing protocols for LLA outcome measures.
• This gap hinders consistent application in clinical practice and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe standardized administration procedures for commonly used outcome measures in adults with LLA.
• To present population-specific reference values for these measures, categorized by functional K-level and amputation level.
• To enhance consistency and comparability in clinical and research applications for LLA.

Main Methods:

• Data collected from 58 adults with unilateral or bilateral transtibial or transfemoral amputation at three medical centers.
• Participants used a definitive prosthesis for at least 6 months and were classified at K2 level or higher.
• Included 8 performance-based and 11 patient-reported outcome measures.

Main Results:

• Reference values presented by K-level and amputation level (unilateral transtibial, transfemoral, bilateral).
• Observed discrepancies with prior studies, potentially due to methodological and demographic variations.
• 10 Meter Walk Test speeds were up to 31% faster than previous studies, attributed to track length and calculation differences.

Conclusions:

• The study provides standardized guidelines and reference values for LLA outcome measures, supporting evidence-based prosthetic care.
• These benchmarks offer clinically relevant context for individual performance and goal setting, despite limitations in sample size for formal normative values.
• Promotes methodological transparency and improves comparability across studies in LLA rehabilitation and research.