Self Care After Amputation After a limb amputation you might experience several issues, for example: Pain / Phantom sensation – pain can be caused by several factors, like neuromas, stitches at the operation scar, etc. Phantom sensation relates to all kinds of sensations felt in the missing limb – pain, numbness, tingling, temperature changes or pressure. You should consult your physician if medical treatment is needed. If not, a physical therapist can guide you with several techniques that might help (massage, tapping, rubbing or wrapping the stump, electrotherapy). Functioning – The physical therapist will guide you on using a walker or crutches. Do your daily activities, such as bathing and cooking. An occupational therapist will guide you about ADL (Activities of Daily Living). You should try to do as much as possible on your own. Equipment – Consult with your physical therapist /occupational therapist about special equipment required at home (if at all) – crutches, helping hand, etc. and any modifications needed to be done in your home. Dealing with emotions like sadness and frustration. Hey, it’s normal. You can turn to your physician for help if needed. As for the physical part – that’s my main goal – there’s a lot to do. Following are several tips for self care after amputation: Positioning The position of the stump during the whole day is very important. Maintaining full range of motion in both limbs is crucial for successful outcome in gait training. Positioning instructions include several issues: Lie down on your stomach 3 or 4 times a day for about 20 minutes. This will stretch out your hip muscle. If you can’t lie on your stomach lie down straight on your back, with no pillows under your head or limbs. When you are sitting, keep your stump straight and level. Try not to turn your stump in or out when you are lying in bed or sitting on a chair. Raise your stump while sitting or lying to keep your stump from swelling and to help ease pain. Residual limb care Inspect your stump every day. Use a mirror if it is hard for you to see all around it. Look for things like pressure signs or red areas. If you’re diabetic, inspect both limbs. Ask your physical therapist for instructions. It’s easily done and very important. Wear your elastic bandage on the stump all the time. Ask your physical therapist to show you the right way to wrap your stump and make sure you follow the principles. Rewrap it when loose. Take it off only in the shower. Muscle Strengthening and Endurance Upper limbs strengthening – if you’re a lower limb amputee, there’s no reason to abandon your upper limbs. You can use weights, elastic bands or any other means to work on your shoulder girdle, elbows and hands. As an amputee you’ll probably need your upper limbs for using wheelchair and for using walking aids with or without the prosthesis. Core strengthening – the core is a very important (often neglected) part of the body. We must have strong core muscles in order to use our limbs properly. Core muscles include deep back and abdominal muscles, and can be worked on while in bed or when sitting. Unaffected limb strengthening – the unaffected limb now has an important role in your mobility – jumping on one leg or walking with prosthesis with most of the weight on it – it has to be strong. You can use weights or elastic band to work on it. Finally, stump strengthening – It very important to have strong muscles in the stump (TT/BK- Calf muscles, Quad and Hams, TF/AK – Quad and hams) and strong hip muscles as well. This is crucial for effective use of prosthesis. After the removal of the stitches, you can gradually start with exercises for the residual limb. It is recommended to consult a physical therapist with the exercises. At this stage balance exercises are also important. In this case I will recommend the supervision and instructions of a physical therapist. Endurance – It’s very important to improve your cardio-vascular endurance in order to allow functioning. Of course, endurance training depends on your cardio-vascular condition, and you might need to consult a physician before training. Prior to prosthesis use you can swim or use hand cycles for endurance training. As you might noticed, its best (in my humble opinion) to go through Physical Therapy sessions, and have a professional treatment and guidance for this period. Very important – for any changes in your stump (color, temperature, bruises, skin rubbing, aggravating pain) or in your general condition consult your physician. Courtesy Dikla Prihed
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 00:33:54 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015