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...
Besides the emotional effects of leg amputation, you have to learn how to get around with your amputated limb and possibly prepare for using a prosthetic limb. Post-amputation exercises help restore range of motion in your lower limbs and improve...
Exercise and keeping your body active is important even if you have endured the amputation of a limb. Amputations of a part of the leg or foot may be necessary due to peripheral vascular disease and diabetes, which hinders blood flow to the lower...
Exercising after a below-the-knee amputation adds flexibility and strength, allowing for better coordination and balance when ambulating with a prosthesis. Exercise also benefits your cardiovascular system, and prevents your hips and knees from...
After suffering a leg amputation, you no longer have the use of one or both of your legs, but the rest of your body still requires exercise. Without daily physical therapy and movement, your muscles and joints could lose functionality. This is...
According to the Amputee Coalition, 187,000 people lose a limb each year. Below the knee amputations require intensive postoperative care and physical rehabilitation. Along with physical and emotional healing, patients learn to walk with a...
A unilateral transtibial amputation is the amputation of one leg below the knee. Trauma due to accidents, as well as diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, are the leading causes of lower-extremity amputation. Amputation does not mean the end...
Prosthetic legs are artificial limbs that are used in cases of amputation. Either one or both legs may be subjected to amputation for a variety of medical reasons. Amputations can be performed above or below the knee, depending on medical...
Although amputees may need up to 25 percent more calories than normal immediately following their surgery, in the long run their caloric needs will be decreased, as will their ideal body weight. Dietitians use segmental limb weight percentages to...
Rehabilitation after amputation can help maintain your hip and leg mobility as well as provide strength. Sitting for long periods of time can tighten the muscles in your hip and leg. Your doctor or physical therapist may recommend daily stretching...
Whether you have a single- or a double-leg amputation, it is possible for you to run again. Here's a name for for motivation: Oscar Pistorius. This world-class sprinter is a bilateral amputee who is running against athletes without disabilities....
Patients with diabetes frequently suffer from foot ulcers, which are open sores that do not heal. Diabetic foot ulcers are the leading cause of lower leg amputation, reports the journal "American Family Physician". People with diabetes need to...
Leg amputation is one of the many complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were approximately 71,000 leg amputations due to diabetes mellitus in 2005. Most people were older than...
Above the knee amputations often result from sever trauma to the knee or lower leg, infections that fail to heal, poor blood flow, tumors, severe frostbite or severe burns. The time it takes to recover from an above the knee amputation varies...
A below-knee amputation is the loss of your lower leg from the top of your tibia (shinbone) down to your foot. Below-knee amputations usually occur as the result of trauma, infection, tumor, severe burns, frostbite or poor blood flow to the limb,...
If you are an above-knee amputee, taking an active role in your own rehabilitation may reduce your risk of developing complications. You will need to extend your range of motion and increase your agility, balance and strength if you want to return...
You may be ready to begin using a prosthetic leg once your amputation wound heals. However, the process of adapting to the loss of a limb and placing your weight on a prosthesis can take some time. In conjunction with a prosthetist, a physical...
Diabetic patients commonly experience sensory loss, or diabetic neuropathies, a family of disorders related to nerve damage. According to the American Diabetes Association, between 60 and 70 percent of people with diabetes experience some form of...
A below-the-knee amputation, where the lower portion of the leg is removed, may be performed because of disease or severe injury that eliminates the function of your lower leg. Rehabilitation following such an amputation is a long process that...
Nearly 53 percent of all amputations are below the knee amputations, according to the "Handbook of Disabilities" published by the University of Missouri. After a below the knee amputation, you may not feel like exercising. However, exercising...
Your physician will work closely with you after lower leg amputation to restore strength to your lower limb muscles and hips and restore flexibility in your hips and knees. Flexed hip and knee contracture is a common complication of lower...
An amputation of your lower leg below your knee is called a trans-tibial amputation but is commonly referred to as BK (below knee) amputation. Rehabilitation after this type of surgery involves physical therapy, occupational therapy and working...
A ligament tear as the result of hyperextending your knee can vary from partial to severe. Symptoms can be severe and interfere with future exercise, sports and even regular daily activities. Because of this, it is important to understand how...
Diabetes can harden and narrow the arteries, reducing blood flow to the feet. When the feet have less blood to nourish the tissues, cuts and sores can take longer to heal. Left untreated, minor wounds can turn into ulcers or become infected, which...
A bilateral amputee is as a person who has had either both arms or both legs removed through amputation. Amputation may occur by a trauma or as a surgical procedure, and occurs in modern warfare as an injury from landmines or explosive devices....
Diabetic foot ulcers are the most common cause for lower leg amputation, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. A foot ulcer is diagnosed as any break in the top layer, or epidermis, of the skin. Diabetes patients suffer from...
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says diabetes can result in a number of foot problems so it's especially important for diabetics to develop diligent foot care habits. Even seemingly minor foot problems can be potentially serious for people...
Sliding boards are used by physical therapists and patients with limited strength or mobility in their lower body to help facilitate transferring from a chair, bed or other surface without the help of others. Upper body strength is important for...
Trans-femoral, or above the knee amputation is the second most common type of amputation, and can occur due to a circulatory disease, an accident or a birth defect. Surgeons attempt to preserve as much of the muscle mass as possible during the...
