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

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.