Volume 50 Number 7, 2013
Pages 969 — 984
Abstract — Factors related to high-level mobility in male servicemembers with traumatic lower-limb loss
Ignacio A. Gaunaurd, PhD, MSPT;1–2* Kathryn E. Roach, PhD, PT;2 Michele A. Raya, PhD, PT, SCS, ATC;2 COL (Ret) Rebecca Hooper, PhD, PT;3 Alison A. Linberg, DPT, ATC;4 Justin Z. Laferrier, PhD, MSPT, OCS, SCS, ATP, CSCS;5 MAJ (Ret) Stuart M. Campbell, MPT;3 COL (Ret) Charles Scoville, PT, DPT;4 Robert S. Gailey, PhD, PT1–2
1Functional Outcomes Research and Evaluation Center, Miami Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Miami, FL; 2Department of Physical Therapy, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL; 3Center for the Intrepid, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; 4Military Advanced Training Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC; 5Department of Kinesiology, Physical Therapy Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Abstract — The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relationship between factors modifiable by rehabilitation interventions (rehabilitation factors), other factors related to lower-limb loss (other factors), and high-level mobility as measured by the Comprehensive High-Level Activity Mobility Predictor (CHAMP) in servicemembers (SMs) with traumatic lower-limb loss. One-hundred eighteen male SMs with either unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA), unilateral transfemoral amputation (TFA), or bilateral lower-limb amputation (BLLA) participated. Stepwise regression analysis was used to develop separate regression models of factors predicting CHAMP score. Regression models containing both rehabilitation factors and other factors explained 81% (TTA), 36% (TFA), and 91% (BLLA) of the variance in CHAMP score. Rehabilitation factors such as lower-limb strength and dynamic balance were found to be significantly related to CHAMP score and can be enhanced with the appropriate intervention. Further, the findings support the importance of salvaging the knee joint and its effect on high-level mobility capabilities. Lastly, the J-shaped energy storage and return feet were found to improve high-level mobility for SMs with TTA. These results could help guide rehabilitation and aid in developing appropriate interventions to assist in maximizing high-level mobility capabilities for SMs with traumatic lower-limb loss.
Key words: CHAMP, gait, high-level mobility, injury severity, lower-limb loss, prosthetics, rehabilitation, servicemembers, traumatic amputation, waist circumference.
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This article and any supplementary material should be cited as follows:
Gaunaurd IA, Roach KE, Raya MA, Hooper R, Linberg AA, Laferrier JZ, Campbell SM, Scoville C, Gailey RS. Factors related to high-level mobility in male servicemembers with traumatic lower-limb loss. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013; 50(7):969–84.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.02.0035
Gaunaurd IA, Roach KE, Raya MA, Hooper R, Linberg AA, Laferrier JZ, Campbell SM, Scoville C, Gailey RS. Factors related to high-level mobility in male servicemembers with traumatic lower-limb loss. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013; 50(7):969–84.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.02.0035
ResearcherID/ORCID: Robert S. Gailey, PhD, PT: I-3458-2013; Ignacio A. Gaunaurd, PhD, MSPT: I-3490-2013
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Last Reviewed or Updated Thursday, October 31, 2013 2:53 PM
