Amputation Rehabilitation Physiotherapy, Edmonton

Edmonton Amputation Rehab: Regain Mobility & Strength

Edmonton Amputation Rehab: Regain Mobility & Strength

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Amputation Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Edmonton

Participating in an amputation Rehabilitation Downtown Edmonton session following an amputation helps you improve the outcome following your life-changing treatment.

Whether you intend to undergo this treatment or recently had it, it is very important to include a physiotherapist in your treatment or recovery goal. 

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We understand that amputation is mostly recommended when a life-threatening disease, unbearable and retarded injury, and other treatment options do not yield any positive result. Since the goal is to protect life, health, and other functions, amputation is then suggested.

Most patients experience a devastating turnaround due to the fact that their productivity, some physical functions, body image, emotional, social, and mental health are being affected. However, through physiotherapy care, we can help you decrease pain, improve your functions, and enhance your independence.

Rehabilitation for amputation of lower limb

Transtibial amputation, also known as below-knee amputation, is a surgical technique that is used to completely remove a lower limb that has been destroyed due to an accident, a congenital abnormality, or illness. Transtibial amputation accounts for 23% of all lower-limb amputations. Amputation can occur at any age, although it is more common in adults 65 and older.

Physical therapists are experts in movement. They enhance people’s lives by providing hands-on treatment, patient education, and prescribed mobility. For an evaluation, you can make direct contact with a physical therapist at In Step Physical Therapy, in downtown Edmonton.

Amputee Rehabilitation Edmonton | Amputation Rehab

Treatment for Amputation of a limb

Whether you live in Edmonton or the surrounding communities and you recently had a knee or any part of your body amputated, our physiotherapist can provide a post-assistance recovery program. This will help improve your body function as well as aid your recovery process.To book our amputation Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Edmonton session, contact us.

What is transtibial amputation?

Transtibial amputation, also known as below-knee amputation, is a surgical surgery that removes the lower leg below the knee when it is badly injured or diseased. The majority of transtibial amputations (60–70%) are caused by peripheral vascular disease or disease of the circulation in the lower limb. Poor circulation inhibits healing and immunological responses to damage, perhaps leading to foot or leg ulcers. These ulcers may not heal and develop an infection, extending to the bone and being fatal. Amputation is used to remove damaged tissue and prevent the disease from spreading further.

An avascular or orthopedic surgeon is generally the one who performs transtibial amputation surgery. The surgeon shapes the residual limb to provide for the optimal usage of a prosthetic leg following recovery. The sick or seriously wounded limb is removed while preserving as much of the healthy limb as feasible.

 Our amputee rehabilitation sessions in Edmonton will give you strength and necessary ideas to cope up with your life. We will offer you tools to cope up and functionally be active within your environment.

Transtibial is caused by the following;

  • Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (poor circulation).
  • Diabetes.
  • Infection.
  • Ulcers on the feet.
  • Trauma results in the lower leg being crushed or dismembered.
  • Cancerous tumors (see link references at the bottom of the page for more information).
How can physiotherapy help?

Physical therapists assist persons who have had a below-knee amputation in preparing for surgery and regaining strength, mobility, and function after surgery.

Preceding to Surgery 

Before surgery, your physical therapist should:

  • Prescribe activities for preoperative conditioning and increase hip and knee strength and flexibility.
  • Give you an idea about how to use a walker or crutches to walk.
  • Inform you of what to expect following the operation. 
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How can a physiotherapy regimen aid my recovery after surgery?

After surgery, there is a high chance you will remain in the hospital for 5 to 14 days. Medication will be used to control the pain. Your incision will be bandaged, and you may be given a drain at the surgical site, which is a tube put into the region to help remove excess fluid.

Physical therapy will begin soon following surgery when your health is stabilized, and the doctor clears you for rehabilitation. In Step Physical Therapy therapist will come to you to evaluate your medical and surgical history. 

In the first 2 to 3 of rehabilitation :

  • Understanding how to posture your operated limb to avoid contractures (the inability to straighten the knee joint fully, which outcome from keeping the limb bent too much)
  • Stretching and range-of-motion exercises should be done gently.
  • Learning to roll out of bed, sit on the edge of the bed, and securely transfer to a chair

Our physical therapist will teach you how to move around in a wheelchair and stand and walk using an assistive device when you are medically stable.

Our Rehabilitation process at In Step Physical therapy

Your physical therapist will assist you in healing after the amputation, fitting your prosthesis, and guiding your rehabilitation to make sure you regain your strength and movement in the safest way possible. 

At your initial appointment with one of our physiotherapists, you will be examined to know the impact of amputation on your health and how you feel at that moment. After this has been concluded, your treatment plan will be developed. Due to the complexity of this condition, your treatment will be divided into various pain management sessions. This includes;

You must know that following amputation surgery, your medical provider and our physiotherapist will collaborate together to ensure the safe and effective introduction of rehabilitation programs in order to improve your overall health condition.

Benefits of Amputation Physiotherapy before and after the surgery

Prevent contractures: The tightening of soft tissues that restricted joint mobility. The syndrome develops when muscles and soft tissues stiffen due to mobility. Following transtibial amputation, the most frequent contracture develops at the knee, when it becomes bent and impossible to straighten. The hip may also stiffen.

It is critical to avoid contractures as early as possible; if they are not addressed before surgery, during recovery, and after therapy, they can become permanent. Contractures can make it hard to wear your prosthesis and walk, necessitating the use of an assistive device such as a walker.

Your physical therapist will assist you in maintaining the appropriate knee and hip range of motion. Your therapist will show you stretching and positioning exercises to preserve the normal range of motion and educate you on how to posture your limb to minimize contracture development.

Pain management: Your physical therapist will help you manage your pain in several methods, including:

  • Stump care includes skincare and the usage of stump socks
  • Desensitization is a method used to lessen the sensitivity of a region to clothes, pressure, or touch. Desensitization is the process of stroking the skin with various forms of touch to diminish or remove sensitivity.
  • Mirror therapy and graded motor imagery may be used.
Occupational therapy for Amputees

Functional training: You will learn to operate more independently after transitioning from acute care to rehabilitation. Our physical therapist will instruct you on using a wheelchair and walking with an assistive device such as crutches or walkers. Your therapist will also instruct you on the skills you’ll need to utilize your new prosthetic limb successfully. You will be taught how to care for your other limb with skin checks and hygiene and how to prevent contractures with activity and placement.

Your physical therapist will explain to you how to put on and take off your new prosthesis and maintain a proper fit with the socket type you get. Your therapist will work with you to progressively increase your tolerance for wearing your prosthesis for extended periods while conserving the skin integrity of your residual limb. Even after receiving your permanent prosthesis, you will continue to utilize a wheelchair to go around while not wearing the limb.

Let In Step Physical Therapy provide you with relief following your amputation surgery.

It is possible to get relief from even the most severe amputation, no matter where you are in your journey. Please make an appointment with one of our professional physiotherapies at In Step Physical Therapy.  Contact us, to schedule an appointment. You can reach us via call at (587) 977-0658  or email us at info@instepphysio.ca

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