Physiotherapy & Gait Training for Amputees

Preparing the body to walk with a prosthesis – and once fitted, doing prosthetic gait training – is of utmost importance to help an amputee gain his/her highest mobility potential using a prosthesis.

The longer an amputee has not walked, the more difficult it may be to regain a natural and energy-efficient walking pattern once fitted with a prosthesis. Specialised prosthetic rehabilitation and gait training will help to activate and strengthen the required muscles in a functional way.

Learning correct gait technique with a prosthesis from the initial period of fitting is also very important as it eliminates bad gait habits developing.

Physiotherapy rehabilitation (to develop core strength, balance reactions, residual limb strength and range of motion) combined with gait training is indicated for the first few weeks of prosthetic fitting, and if further training is required, rehabilitation can continue until the amputee has reached his/her full potential. 

For higher level amputees (such as through knee and above knee amputations) special technique training for negotiating stairs and ramps, sitting down and getting in and out of a car with a prosthetic knee joint is also needed.

Our facility has a large fully equipped amputee rehabilitation room with parallel bars, ramps, stairs and other rehabilitation equipment. Our resident physiotherapist will ensure that each amputee masters the necessary skills to be confident in traversing their home and community environment safely and confidently.

For out-of-town patients, who are staying locally only for the short period (few days) it takes to have their prosthesis made at our clinic, we will implement an intense rehabilitation program during the prosthesis manufacture period to the patient can use their prosthesis competently and safely. Thereafter, where possible and practical, our in-house physiotherapist can correspond with a physiotherapist in the amputee’s home town to continue working on areas which the amputee was still need to improve on at the time of discharge.

Local patients will be advised to continue rehabilitation sessions on a regular basis to optimise their prosthetic gait to its full potential.