At a glance
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Effects of Phantom Exercises on Pain, Mobility and Quality of Life Among Lower Limb Amputees
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating phantom limb exercise and conventional treatment for Lower Limb Amputation. Completed, enrolled 24 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
In this research, the aim is to find out the effects of phantom exercises in terms of pain, mobility and quality of life among lower-limb amputees having phantom limb pain. This is a randomized control trial in which amputees having phantom limb pain will be randomly divided into two groups i.e. Experimental group (Routine physical therapy, mirror therapy and phantom exercises) and control group (Routine physical therapy and mirror therapy). Non-probability purposive sampling technique will be employed. Patients of age between 18 to 50 years and having phantom limb pain after lower limb amputation will be recruited by evaluating with limb deficiency and phantom limb questionnaire. Other tools will be Visual analogue scale (pain), Amputee mobility predictor (Ambulatory status) and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (Health-related quality of life). The study will be conducted in 6 months and data obtained will be analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
phantom limb exercises (that is, active imaginal efforts to move the phantom), under the assumption that the neural pathways involved in performing actual movements are activated when using one's imagination to move the phantom extremity
Mirror therapy uses a flat mirror placed parasagittally in front of the patient's body with the reflective surface toward the sound limb so that the amputee sees the reflection of the sound limb in the mirror \[Figure 1\]. This reflection mimics the amputated limb, and with the movement of the intact limb, the mirror provides an optical illusion that the phantom limb is moving simultaneously. Equipment: Therapy mirror: A standing mirror (130 cm × 46 cm) with wooden frame and base (62 cm × 65 cm) Routine physiotherapy The general exercise programme consisted of strengthening, stretching, dynamic, and isometric exercises based on the level of amputation and their assessment results. Participants allocated to the control group were advised to continue rehabilitation at their respective physiotherapy out-patient departments as frequently as possible. Participants were given a diary and advised to record their activities, specifying the nature, frequency and duration of each activity