Living With A Below Knee Amputation

Living with a Below-Knee Amputation: A Unique Insight from a Prosthetist/Amputee provides an insightful look at the entire spectrum of the below knee experience from amputation to rehabilitation. As a prosthetist for 22 years, author Richard Riley uses real life examples to answer many of the questions facing amputees. The information is structured in a manner that permits quick, easy access to an array of topics. Living with a Below-Knee Amputation not only discusses the psychosocial and physical issues; it also clearly explains the role of the medical professional and the complexities of constructing a prosthetic device during each phase of rehabilitation. Images are also included to display all of the available options and components of an artificial leg. Some topics inside Living with a Below-Knee Amputation include amputation surgery, pain, postoperative care, therapy, purpose and design, fittings, maintenance and hygiene, integration of the prosthesis, child amputees, and recreation and sports. The unique perspective used by the author helps physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and rehabilitation professionals better identify and relate to their patients. By understanding the amputee’s emotions and expectations, the professional can cohesively work together with their patients to identify ways for reintegration into their lifestyle.

Limb loss can occur due to trauma, infection, diabetes, vascular disease, cancer, and other diseases. Regardless of the cause, it often has a profound impact on a person's life. Many amputees experience feelings of loss and grief, frustration in learning to walk with an artificial limb, and difficulty adjusting to a new and challenging lifestyle. This book provides the practical knowledge needed to cope with the many changes caused by lower limb amputation. In clear, accessible language, it covers the medical, physical, and psychosocial issues and answers crucial questions such as: How do I cope emotionally with the loss of a limb? What steps can I take to prevent additional amputations? How do I treat and care for my post-surgery wound? What are the best prostheses for my particular needs? Can I play sports and exercise with a prosthesis? And much more! This unique resource aims to educate those with lower limb amputation so that they can better care for themselves and maximize their independence. The practical advice, tips, and extensive references within its pages will help individuals meet the challenges of leading full and fruitful lives.

Limb loss can occur due to trauma, infection, diabetes, vascular disease, cancer and other diseases. Lower limb amputation is relatively common and has a profound impact on a person's life, regardless of the cause. Feelings of loss and grief, difficulties in learning to walk with an artificial limb, and readjustment to an interrupted life all pose considerable challenges. Nevertheless, there are countless stories of people who have successfully overcome these problems. This book provides the practical knowledge needed to cope with the life changes caused by lower limb amputation. It demystifies the medical process and technical jargon by using plain, easily understandable language. And it is the first book to combine medical, prosthetic, and psychosocial factors in one convenient volume, including: Causes of lower limb amputation, especially diabetes, and ways to prevent further amputation Surgical techniques for lower limb amputation Learning to walk with a prosthesis The unique challenges faced by children and elderly people living with an amputation Exercising and sports with a lower limb prosthesis And much more! The outlook of this book is ultimately an optimistic one. Well-informed, knowledgeable individuals with amputations are better able to take care of themselves and are more effective self-advocates. This book gives them the tools they need to forge a productive, satisfying, and high-quality life.

′It is not often I can use "accessible" and "phenomenology" in the same sentence, but reading the new book, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis...certainly provides me the occasion to do so. I can say this because these authors provide an engaging and clear introduction to a relatively new analytical approach′ - The Weekly Qualitative Report Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is an increasingly popular approach to qualitative inquiry. This handy text covers its theoretical foundations and provides a detailed guide to conducting IPA research. Extended worked examples from the authors′ own studies in health, sexuality, psychological distress and identity illustrate the breadth and depth of IPA research. Each of the chapters also offers a guide to other good exemplars of IPA research in the designated area. The final section of the book considers how IPA connects with other contemporary qualitative approaches like discourse and narrative analysis and how it addresses issues to do with validity. The book is written in an accessible style and will be extremely useful to students and researchers in psychology and related disciplines in the health and social sciences.

Implement TMR with Your Patients and Improve Their Quality of Life Developed by Dr. Todd A. Kuiken and Dr. Gregory A. Dumanian, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a new approach to accessing motor control signals from peripheral nerves after amputation and providing sensory feedback to prosthesis users. This practical approach has many advantages over other neural-machine interfaces for the improved control of artificial limbs. Targeted Muscle Reinnervation: A Neural Interface for Artificial Limbs provides a template for the clinical implementation of TMR and a resource for further research in this new area of science. After describing the basic scientific concepts and key principles underlying TMR, the book presents surgical approaches to transhumeral and shoulder disarticulation amputations. It explores the possible role of TMR in the prevention and treatment of end-neuromas and details the principles of rehabilitation, prosthetic fitting, and occupational therapy for TMR patients. The book also describes transfer sensation and discusses the surgical and functional outcomes of the first several TMR patients. It concludes with emerging research on using TMR to further improve the function and quality of life for people with limb loss. With contributions from renowned leaders in the field, including Drs. Kuiken and Dumanian, this book is a useful guide to implementing TMR in patients with high-level upper limb amputations. It also supplies the foundation to enable improvements in TMR techniques and advances in prosthetic technology.

This practical and generously illustrated text presents the current concepts regarding the management of the mangled extremity, including microsurgery, vascular surgery, free tissue, nerve, hand, and replantation surgery. Since the advent of microsurgical reconstruction, significant progress has been made in the areas of replantation, free tissue transfer, as well as the refinement of skeletal fixation techniques. The scope will encompass the initial triage of a patient with a mangled upper or lower extremity, the initial and subsequent reconstructive efforts, to include skeletal fixation, vascular and soft tissue reconstruction, muscle and tendon transfers, psychological impact, therapy requirements, amputation considerations, and current data on salvage versus amputation in these scenarios. Case examples will be included to add further depth and context to the techniques and recommendations provided. Presenting these surgical challenges in detail, The Mangled Extremity will be an ideal resource for orthopedic and trauma surgeons, residents and fellows, as well as emergency surgeons facing these intense, traumatic injuries.