Disclosures: Shane R. Wurdeman, PhD, CP: Nothing to disclose

Objective: Diabetes and vascular disease represent the most common etiologies for lower limb amputations. In lower limb loss rehabilitation, the prosthetic ankle-foot mechanism is the most common major component needed to restore function. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of five common prosthetic ankle-foot mechanisms on functional mobility in a large sample of individuals with amputation due to diabetes/dysvascular disease.

Design: A retrospective analysis of the Prosthetic Limb Users’ Survey of Mobility (PLUS-M®) captured in the patient care setting.

Setting: Multi-site clinics.

Participants: 738 individuals with amputation due to diabetes/vascular disease were included and subsequently sub-divided into five groups based on the ankle-foot mechanism of their current prosthesis.

Interventions: not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: Groups divided based on prosthetic ankle-foot category were compared using a general linear univariate model with age, body mass index, comorbid health status, time since amputation, and amputation level entered as covariates.

Results: The microprocessor ankle-foot group had the highest mobility (F4,728 = 3.845, P=.004), which was followed by the vertical loading pylon type ankle-foot, the hydraulic ankle-foot, the flex-walk type ankle-foot, and lastly the flex-foot type ankle-foot.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the selection of different prosthetic ankle-foot technology directly impacts functional mobility for the patient with an amputation due to diabetes and/or vascular disease. The results provide the beginning of a decision tree when determining prosthetic device prescription.

Level of Evidence: Level III

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/impact-of-five-common-prosthetic-ankle-foot-categories-for-individuals-with-diabetic-dysvascular-amputation/