Standing sway and weight-bearing distribution in people with below-knee amputations

Eli Isakov*, Joseph Mizrahi, Haim Ring, Zeev Susak, Nazih Hakim

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

109 Scopus citations

Abstract

Upright stability in humans has been found to decrease with age, certain diseases, or trauma. We investigated stability of standing in people with below-knee amputations (BKA) and in able-bodied controls. Body sway was evaluated during standing on a set of two Kistler force plates, first with eyes open and then with eyes closed. People with BKA were tested twice-first, one to two days after receiving their prostheses, and second, on completing their prosthetic rehabilitation. The results indicate that both able-bodied people and those with BKA sway more with their eyes closed. However, people with BKA are significantly less stable when they stand with either closed eyes or open eyes. We demonstrated that the differences between the groups studied are due to a proprioceptive deficit as a result of partial limb loss. We also found that there was a gradual process of compensation and adaptation, as some people with BKA sway less at the end of the rehabilitation period.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)174-178
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume73
Issue number2
StatePublished - Feb 1992

Keywords

  • Amputees
  • Artificial limb
  • Equilibrium
  • Proprioception

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