Does increased prosthetic weight affect gait speed and patient preference in dysvascular transfemoral amputees?

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if increased prosthetic weight affects gait speed in dysvascular transfemoral amputees and to see if there is any patient preference for lighter versus heavier prostheses.

Design: Randomized prospective double-blind crossover trial.

Setting: Outpatient, tertiary care, amputee clinic in Ontario, Canada.

Participants: A convenience sample of 10 subjects with unilateral transfemoral amputations because of peripheral vascular disease. All subjects were independent community ambulators over 50 years old.

Intervention: Seemingly identical weights of 150g (placebo weight), 770g, and 1625g were added to the prosthesis 14cm below the knee joint.

Main outcome measures: Two-minute walk test (2MWT) and subject preference.

Results: The 2MWT results were not significantly influenced by weight added (mean, 53.4+/-28.4m, 55.1+/-28.9m, and 52.8+/-26.7m for 150g, 770g, and 1625g of added weight, respectively). Subject preference revealed that more than half preferred a weighted prosthesis over the "placebo" weight (5 subjects preferred 770g added, 4 subjects preferred 150g added, 1 preferred 1625g added).

Conclusions: Short-term intervention with increased prosthetic mass had no significant adverse affect on gait speed, and more than half of the subjects preferred an added mass condition.