Bodyweight distribution between limbs, muscle strength, and proprioception in traumatic transtibial amputees: a cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Carlos Henrique da Silva Fontes Filho Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Centro de Amputados. Unidade de Reabilitação
  • Conrado Torres Laett Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Laboratório de Pesquisa Neuromuscular, Divisão de Pesquisa
  • Ubiratã Faleiro Gavilão Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Laboratório de Pesquisa Neuromuscular, Divisão de Pesquisa
  • José Carlos de Campos Jr. Centro Universitario Augusto Motta. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência da Reabilitação
  • Dângelo José de Andrade Alexandre Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Área de Fisioterapia
  • Victor R. A. Cossich Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Laboratório de Pesquisa Neuromuscular, Divisão de Pesquisa
  • Eduardo Branco de Sousa Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia. Divisão de Ensino e Pesquisa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2021/e2486

Keywords:

Body Weight, Amputation, Muscle Strength, Proprioception, Position Sense

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how transtibial amputation (TT) affects bodyweight distribution, voluntary knee joint position sense (JPS), and quadriceps (QUA) and hamstrings (HAM) strength in prosthetized patients. METHODS: Only TT patients who had been prosthetized for more than one year were included, and an agepaired able-bodied group was used as control. The participants stood on force plates with their eyes open to measure bodyweight distribution between the limbs. Knee voluntary JPS was assessed by actively reproducing a set of given arbitrary joint angles using a video analysis approach, and QUA and HAM strength were assessed isometrically with a hand-held dynamometer. RESULTS: Sixteen TT subjects (age: 39.4±4.8 years) and sixteen age-paired control subjects (age: 38.4±4.3 years) participated in the study. The amputees supported their bodyweight majorly on the sound limb (54.8±8.3%, po0.001). The proprioceptive performance was similar between the amputated (absolute error (AE): 2.2±1.6o , variable error (VE): 1.9±1.6o , constant error (CE): -0.7±2.0o ) and non-amputated limbs (AE: 2.6±0.9o , VE: 2.1±0.9o , CE: 0.02±2.3o ), and was not different from that of control subjects (AE: 2.0±0.9o , VE: 1.4±0.4o , CE: -1.1±1.7o ). There was a considerable weakness of the QUA and HAM in the amputated limb compared with the sound limb and control subjects (po0.001 both). CONCLUSIONS: The asymmetric bodyweight distribution in the transtibial amputees was not accompanied by a reduction in knee proprioception. There was significant weakness in the amputated limb, which could be a potential issue when designing rehabilitation programs.

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Published

2021-11-09

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Fontes Filho, C. H. da S. ., Laett, C. T. ., Gavilão, U. F. ., Campos Jr., J. C. de ., Alexandre, D. J. de A. ., Cossich, V. R. A. . ., & Sousa, E. B. de . (2021). Bodyweight distribution between limbs, muscle strength, and proprioception in traumatic transtibial amputees: a cross-sectional study. Clinics, 76, e2486. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2021/e2486