Leg amputation is a last-resort treatment for a leg that causes you extreme pain and threatens your health because of infection, according to VascularWeb.org. Amputation usually results from peripheral artery disease, although there are other reasons. Without proper blood circulation, the cells and tissues in your leg die and fall prey to infection. After an amputation, exercising helps your body regain your range of motion, strength and balance.
Stretching
If you have a below-the-knee amputation, you can maintain the flexibility in your knee by reducing the amount of time your amputated leg stays bent, according to an article in "Senior Step," provided by the American Coalition Of America. Hold your leg in fully extended positions several times a day by extending it on a couch or chair. No matter if you had a total leg amputation, an above-the-knee amputation or below-the-knee amputation, the flexibility of your hip can be maintained by lying face-down. You should lie on your stomach at least twice a day for 10 to 20 minutes, "Senior Step" advises. Elevating your chest on pillows or your elbows will allow you to maintain or increase the flexibility of your hips, lower back and knees. Even with a total leg amputation, you can work on the rotational flexibility of your torso by placing a cane across your shoulders, resting your arms on the cane and twisting from side to side.
Strengthening
Various exercises will help strengthen your hips and legs. When doing leg exercises, you can add resistance to make the exercise more challenging, "Senior Step" says. While lying on your back, you can do a variety of strengthening exercises. You can do straight leg raises for any size stump by lifting your amputated leg off the floor. Hip and knee bending can be done by bringing your amputated leg to your chest while bending your knee. Finally, you can work your hip abductors and adductors, regardless of how much of your leg was amputated, by moving your leg out to the side and back, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. Strengthening your stomach will require variations of sit-ups. However, any form of sit-up might be difficult since the weight of your lower limbs helps stabilize your hips, according to the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. Placing a weight on the amputated leg or having someone hold your stump down will help stabilize your pelvis and make partial sit-ups or other abdominal exercises easier. To help stabilize your hips, do not wear your prosthesis. You should also work to strengthen your arms. You can strengthen your arms by raising your hands above your head, playing tug of war with a exercise band, doing wheelchair push-ups or working with exercise machines or free weights.
Balance
After a leg amputation, your balance will be off, no matter what position you assume, according to "Senior Step." You have to retrain your brain. Many people have gotten up in the middle of the night and fallen, forgetting they no longer had two legs. You can help retrain your brain by practicing things such as reaching for objects while sitting, kneeling, standing on one leg, reaching from side to side and front to back while in a standing position, or twisting from side to side. You should practice with your prosthesis on and off.
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