Amputee Support

Introduction To Physical Therapy - Rehabilitation Of Amputees And The Advantages Of Physiotherapy

Amputation is a major blow to anyone, both physically and psychologically. To help a person deal with the loss of a limb a team of trained professionals is engaged - a doctor, a prosthetist, a psychologist, and nurses. To rehabilitate an amputee, a physiotherapist is also required.

When a person is adjusting to life without a limb, a physiotherapist is almost indispensable in the patient's healing process. An amputee has to deal with several physical and physiological issues the. Among these are phantom pains, which are painful sensations that seem to emanate from the limb that has already been removed, as if it still exists. These are nervous responses and require physiotherapy to overcome and treat it.

A prosthetic limb is a must-have for most amputees. Though it is a common notion that learning how to wear it is enough, most don't realize how difficult it can be to adjust to an alien appendage. There are many amputees who have been wearing prosthetic limbs for years, but can still not function normally. Such situations only underline the need for amputee rehabilitation.

The use of a prosthetic limb can be made easier with physiotherapy. Therapy allows a person to get used to the new limb. The routine followed by the patient for this adaptation depends on individual needs and abilities.

Often amputees lose their sense of balance and have to be taught how to walk or stand without support. This is seen more often in the case of a leg or foot amputation. That, however, does not mean that a person who loses an arm will not have a problem with his balance. The redistribution of weight due to the loss of an arm can also result in balancing problems for the amputee.

Many amputees do not realize that it is possible to completely mask a limp, even with the use of a prosthetic limb, if the person learns to walk in the best suitable manner. Physiotherapist are able to train amputees during the rehabilitation program and once this limp is camouflaged, the battle is half won.

It is best to begin physiotherapy immediately after the surgery, to avoid the weakening or unequal strengthening of muscles. An amputee subconsciously uses only one set of muscles as far as possible to avoid strain on the weakened set, thus weakening them further. The sooner the physiotherapy starts, the easier it will be to address such issues.

Physiotherapy for amputees is never a generalized program. It depends on individual needs and will always be a program tailor-made to suit the patient. Exercise routines are customized according to the kind of rehabilitation required in the case of each amputee.

Massages, otherwise called manual therapies, are also included in the physiotherapy program. Exercise stresses the muscles and manual therapy helps to ease out the tension and pain from the muscles that are being taxed to adjust to their difficult situation. Other manual therapies include acupuncture, heat compresses, ultrasound massages and electrical stimulation.

In amputee rehabilitation programs, physiotherapy is an indispensable treatment. A person having lost a limb needs such therapy and help without any question. Yet there are amputees who think it is not necessary, or are too shocked to consider recovery a possibility. It is imperative that such patients be convinced to start physiotherapy to get back to their normal daily lives without feeling at a loss.

Stumps R Us, an Irreverent Amputee Support Group, Part 1: Dan the Man

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It's Just a Matter of Balance List Price: $9.99 See Reviews For This Product Description It's Just a Matter of Balance: Recommended Reading by "The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists" An interesting story for anyone, a hopeful story for the amputee, a useful story for clinicians. This is a true story written by an Amputee-Certified Prosthetist. He wrote down his story after 35 years of life, experiencing living his life as an amputee. In various editorial book reviews his book has been found to be very helpful to the professionals who provide care for people with disabilities, deepening their understanding of the disabled person and the disabled person's adjustment to life after disability occurs. Review: "Book Discusses Both Literal and Figurative Balance" Reviewed by Michele Owens, PTA As therapists we frequently are exposed to people who are challenged by balance. What is sometimes not so obvious but can be just as challenging is finding our balance in life. Kevin S. Garrison, CP, LP, reflects on both in his book, It's Just a Matter of Balance. Garrison takes the reader on the path of his life from 1969, just before he learned of his foot tumor, to 2005 when he seems at a place of balance with his family, career and life. This is an emotional, well-detailed and at times humorous story of Garrison's disability starting at age 16 when he was diagnosed with an "Osteo type Desmoid Tumor Grade III" on his right foot and the subsequent Syme amputation. It's Just a Matter of Balance can also be viewed as an interesting analogy related to the amputee getting a new prosthetic limb. With the new prosthesis comes excitement and restoration, the pain of adjustment, the comfort and strength when the adjustment period is over and then the uneasiness when it is time for a new fit and the process begins again. Life can be similar. An event occurs - school, job, marriage, even tragedy. It is a difficult transition, we adjust, get used to it and then the next event occurs, making us learn to gain balance all over again. Yet each time it gets a bit easier. Garrison paints the picture of himself as a maturing and humble young man and professional. He honestly describes the mistakes he made as an interning prosthetist and the resulting confidence (and balance) he gained as a professional by learning from these mistakes. And what seems to separate him as a fine practitioner is his ability to empathize with his clients, which he learns is shared by clinicians who have not experienced what he has. We all can learn from this. It is amazing that Garrison as a young man was so driven to his career goal. From the moment he received his first prosthetic limb at age 17 he craved to know more. He states, "my new leg fascinated me.it was so challenging to try to understand how it had replaced my diseased foot." The educational process was not an easy one for Garrison but he was determined. Each step of his career path brought with it struggles and adjustments. He adequately relays how integral they were in building his foundation and the balance that carries him forward. The multidimensional characters that Garrison is able to bring to life, as well as the sketches and photos, add a fun element to this book. He includes several of his early clients who taught him valuable lessons, such as Mr. Truckner, who lost his foot in a grocery store. The four photos included are from an orthotic catalog published in 1906. The five sketches are renderings of original illustrations from a prosthetic manual published in 1906 and include interesting patient testimonials. Garrison is able to share with us, as therapists, the perspective of a patient as well as a clinician revealing the compassion we sometimes lack. We are given an understanding in the privilege of seeing it through his eyes in this book. It's Just a Matter of Balance is interesting for anyone - a hopeful story for a person experiencing the loss of a limb and a useful story for clinicians. --Advance for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Assistants

The Novel Approach To Sexuality And Disability List Price: $7.95 Sale Price: $5.09 See Reviews For This Product Description The Novel Approach is exactly that, a unique novel about sex and disability covering the adventures of two beguiling handicapped women. Disgruntled with society's fumbling and misconceptions, they undertake interviews among their own kind, exploring the little known world they inhabit. This is an insiders' look at sexuality outside it's usual form. The book is entertaining, toucing, often funny, highly factual, tactfully presented and rich in lore of life before, during and after traumatic experiences.