Gait variability is a determinant of qualified locomotion and is useful for monitoring the effects of therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to compare gait variability and symmetry in trained individuals with transtibial (TT) amputation and transfemoral (TF) amputation. Methods: The design of this study was planned as observational. Eleven individuals with TF amputation, 14 individuals with TT amputation, and 14 healthy individuals (HI) were evaluated with a motorized treadmill. The mean step length, the step length variability, an ambulation index, and the time on each foot (stance phase symmetry) of participants were recorded. Results: There were differences between the three groups in the residual/non-preferred limb (RNp) step length (p ¼ 0.031), the intact/preferred (IP) limb step length variability (p ¼ 0.001), the RNp step length variability (p < 0.001), the time on each foot (p < 0.001), and the ambulation index score (p < 0.001). There was a similarity between the groups (TF, TT, HI) in IP limb step lengths (p ¼ 0.127) and duration of prosthesis usage since amputation in individuals with lower limb loss (p ¼ 0.224). Conclusions: This study provided basic data about gait variability and symmetry in individuals with traumatic lower limb loss. The results of the study showed that the variability of gait increased with the level of loss, and individuals with TT amputation showed partially equivalent performance with the healthy group. Similarities in gait characteristics may have resulted from effective prosthetic usage or effective gait rehabilitation.
The study showed that balance test scores stabilized at different sessions from 1st to 3rd assessment period. Maximum normalized scores were reached at the third trial.
IntroductionWith the loss of a lower limb, an individual with amputation may face impaired gait and balance. Different rehabilitation techniques can be used to deal with those functional disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether computerized balance training could have any possible effects on balance in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation.Materials and MethodsA total of 16 subjects who used a prosthesis in their daily life and were between 18 and 65 years of age were included in the study. Individuals were randomly divided into two groups: control group (CG) (n = 7) trained with traditional prosthetic rehabilitation and the experimental group (EG) (n = 9) trained with computerized balance training for five sessions for 2 weeks. Percentage of prosthetic weight bearing (PWB) timed up and go test (TUG), single-leg stance test (SLST), postural sway score, and limits of stability (LoS) were evaluated at baseline and posttreatment.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in between-group comparisons after treatment. Within-group comparison showed that PWB, SLST, and LoS score increased in EG, whereas only PWB increased in CG.ConclusionsSimilar results were revealed with both computerized and traditional prosthetic training. Although there were no significant differences in between-group comparisons, computerized balance training improved the amputated side single-leg stance and stability limits, which are highly related to fall risk in individuals with amputation.Clinical RelevanceClinical relevance: Usage of computerized balance training can be helpful to improve single-leg stance and LoS in individuals with transtibial amputation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.