Gait Deviations in Amputees Flashcards
In patients with a transtibial prosthesis the socket should be aligned in _ degrees of knee flexion. Explain why…
5
To elongate the quadriceps muscle slightly so that they are better prepared to accept the full weight of the body and to aid in shock absorption during the loading response
In patients with a transtibial prosthesis the socket should be aligned in _ degrees of hip adduction. Explain why…
5
To ensure the foot is sufficiently inset to create the appropriate varus moment during stance; this properly loads the proximomedial and distolateral aspects
What are four goals in prosthetic alignment?
1) facilitate heel strike at initial contact
2) provide adequate single limb stability during stance phase
3) create smooth forward progression (rollover) during the transition from early to late stance phase
4) insure adequate swing phase toe clearance
If the sleeve suspension is not in contact with the skin at least _ inches above the liner pistoning will occur
2
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Circumduction
- Extension assist is too strong
- Medial brim of the socket impinges soft tissue during swing phase
- Prosthesis has been excessively lengthened
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Lateral Trunk Bending
- Prosthetic foot is excessively outset
- Insufficient prosthetic length
- Attempt to alleviate pain due to bone spur on distal lateral femur
- Weak hip abductors
- Prosthetic is excessively abducted
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Limited Heel Rise
- swing friction is too high
- swing flex damping too high
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Vaulting
- Prosthesis is too long
- Excessive knee friction
- Inadequate suspension
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Lateral Whip
- Prosthesis is excessively IR
- Rectus femoris channel is too large
- Posteromedial wall angle too tight
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Medial Whip
- Knee axis of prosthesis is in excessively ER
- Prosthesis is donned in ER
Where should the knee bolt be positioned in order to avoid medial or lateral whip?
In 5 degrees of external rotation, so the limb will track closer to the line of progression
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Foot Slap
- Insufficient plantarflexion resistance in the prosthetic foot
- Excessively soft plantarflexion bumper in a foot with an articulated ankle
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Excessive Heel Rise
- Inadequate resistance to knee flexion
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Pistoning
- Socket is too large
- Suspension is inadequate
What is drop off?
sudden knee flexion during stance
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Drop Off
- the keel or tow lever is too soft or too short
- shoe heel height is too high for the prosthetic foot
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Knee Hyperextension
- heel cushion is too soft
- ## heel or toe lever arm is too long or too firm
What can help facilitate knee extension?
an articulated ankle
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
ER of the foot at Heel Contact
- heel durometer of the foot is too firm
- socket is too loose
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Excessive Varus Moment
- ML dimension of the socket is too large
- too much inset of the prosthetic foot
- attempts to match the extreme ER of the foot on the “good” leg
- patient has hypermobile LCL
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Terminal Impact (audible clunk at the end of terminal swing phase)
- inadequate resistance to knee extension
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Unequal step length
- excessive lumbar lordosis
- insufficient socket flexion (5 degrees is preferred, can be increased)
What may be the source of the following gait deviation:
Asymmetrical Shoulder Movement
- leg length discrepancy