Mobility and postural limitations perceived by transtibial amputees undertaking agricultural activities: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: In Colombia, 98% of landmines occur in rural areas, where the main victims of amputation are farmers. The challenges these amputees face in their agricultural work remain unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the mobility and postural limitations these farmers face in carrying out their daily activities. METHOD: Forty-nine participants meeting the following criteria were interviewed: transtibial amputee, 18 years and over, performs agricultural labour and wears the prosthesis daily. Subsequently, the interview transcripts were subjected to a content conventional analysis and responses were organized according to the abstraction process to identify categories and subcategories of the problems. RESULTS: Main problems reported were walking on sloping, uneven and wet terrain, problems associated with the stump skin, squatting, kneeling, using vehicles or animals for transportation and carrying objects over 30 kg. Postures such as sitting, running, jumping, and standing on tiptoes were mentioned less frequently. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the prostheses worn by transtibial amputee farmers are not suitable for working on sloping and uneven terrain, nor for performing postures such as kneeling or squatting. These postures are very common in agricultural and livestock tasks in countries with mountainous areas such as Latin American countries. The recognition of problems reported by farmers transtibial amputees, may help to improve the design of prostheses so that they meet the needs of this population and decrease secondary injuries associated with prosthetic use. This information is useful to identify compensatory postures that facilitate prosthetic adaptation and rehabilitation for amputees.

Correlación entre pruebas y escalas de valoración funcional en el seguimiento a la adaptación protésica de personas con amputación de miembro inferior / Correlation among tests and functional assessment scales in the follow-up of prosthetic adaptation in people with lower limb amputation

Introducción: Existe gran disponibilidad de pruebas funcionales y escalas para evaluar distintos aspectos en la adaptación de personas amputadas, pero aún no hay consenso respecto a las más apropiadas. Objetivos: Describir las medidas de correlación y asociación entre tres pruebas funcionales para amputados de miembros inferiores y definir cuál es la más adecuada. Evaluar la satisfacción general de los usuarios de prótesis de miembro inferior y su asociación con las pruebas funcionales. Métodos: Se incluyeron 83 personas con amputación unilateral de miembro inferior, usuarios de prótesis exomodulares de bajo costo. Instrumentos: escala de Houghton, la subescala de movilidad del cuestionario de evaluación protésica y la prueba de marcha de 2 minutos (2MWT). El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante la prueba chi cuadrado y el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman. Resultados: Las pruebas funcionales tuvieron una correlación y asociación aceptable entre sí, la correlación entre la escala de Houghton y el 2MWT fue de mayor magnitud (r=0,56 para la muestra total; r=0,53 para amputados debajo de rodilla). Las medidas de asociación no lograron resultados estadísticamente significativos para amputados por encima de la rodilla, ni para la satisfacción general. Conclusiones: La escala de Houghton y el 2MWT mostraron una buena correlación y asociación entre sí por lo que pueden ser considerados como instrumentos de primera línea para el seguimiento de los usuarios de prótesis exomodulares de miembro inferior. Para la satisfacción general no se identificó asociación importante con los instrumentos evaluados.(AU)

Introduction: There is a wide variety of functional tests and scales for the assessment of different aspects in the adaptation of amputees, but there is still no consensus on which are the most appropriate. Objectives: To describe the measures of correlation and association among three functional tests for lower-limb amputees and to define the most appropriate for this assessment. To assess general satisfaction in lower-limb prostheses users and its association with the functional tests. Methods: We included 83 unilateral lower-limb amputees who were users of low-cost exoskeletal prostheses. The instruments employed were the Houghton scale, the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire - Mobility Scale (PEQ-MS) and the 2-minute walk test (2MWT). The statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: The functional tests evaluated had an acceptable correlation and association with each other, but the Spearman correlation between the Houghton scale and the 2MWT was of greater significance (whole sample: r=0.56; below-knee amputees: r=0.53). The association measures did not achieve statistically significant results for above-knee amputees or for general satisfaction. Conclusions: The Houghton Scale and the 2MWT showed a good correlation and association with each other, becoming possible first-line instruments for the follow-up of exoskeletal lower limb prosthesis users. No significant association was identified between satisfaction and the instruments measured.(AU)

[Correlation among tests and functional assessment scales in the follow-up of prosthetic adaptation in people with lower limb amputation]. / Correlación entre pruebas y escalas de valoración funcional en el seguimiento a la adaptación protésica de personas con amputación de miembro inferior.

INTRODUCTION: There is a wide variety of functional tests and scales for the assessment of different aspects in the adaptation of amputees, but there is still no consensus on which are the most appropriate. OBJECTIVES: To describe the measures of correlation and association among three functional tests for lower-limb amputees and to define the most appropriate for this assessment. To assess general satisfaction in lower-limb prostheses users and its association with the functional tests. METHODS: We included 83 unilateral lower-limb amputees who were users of low-cost exoskeletal prostheses. The instruments employed were the Houghton scale, the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire - Mobility Scale (PEQ-MS) and the 2-minute walk test (2MWT). The statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The functional tests evaluated had an acceptable correlation and association with each other, but the Spearman correlation between the Houghton scale and the 2MWT was of greater significance (whole sample: r=0.56; below-knee amputees: r=0.53). The association measures did not achieve statistically significant results for above-knee amputees or for general satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The Houghton Scale and the 2MWT showed a good correlation and association with each other, becoming possible first-line instruments for the follow-up of exoskeletal lower limb prosthesis users. No significant association was identified between satisfaction and the instruments measured.