PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF LOWER LIMB INJURIES AMONG AMPUTEES ENGAGED IN RECREATIONAL AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67034/2786-8354.2026.20.2.11Keywords:
physical therapy, rehabilitation, amputation, injuries, health, injuryAbstract
Introduction. Individuals with lower-limb amputation have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injury, both in clinical rehabilitation and when engaging in recreational activities. This vulnerability develops as a result of changed biomechanics, impaired load distribution, diminished proprioception, and compensating strategies following limb amputation. Other contributors will be the time needed to adapt to a prosthetic limb, sensitivity of the residual limb, and sequelae of prolonged physical deconditioning. These tend to impose a ceiling on how much people can do physical activity safely, and frequently they would disrupt the rehabilitation process if not properly treated with well-planned and supervised interventions.
Purpose. The principal objective of the current study will be determine the frequency, nature, mechanisms and risk factors for lower limb injury among relatively active amputees participating routinely in different types of physical and rehabilitation activities. It also attempts to find associations between injury occurrence and other variables: the level of amputation, use of prosthesis, type of activity and degree of professional supervision during rehabilitation sessions.
Materials and Methods. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 120 lower limb amputees who regularly participated in rehabilitation and recreational activities. Demographic data including participants' level of amputation, duration of prosthesis adaptation, type of physical activity and nature of injuries recorded. Dichotomous and outcome descriptive data was summarised; comparisons between risk factors and injury frequency. The data were presented through tables and graphs illustrating injury distribution, activity type, and prosthetic adaptation trends.
Results. 58 point three percent of the participants have reported that they have experienced at least one musculoskeletal injury. Of these people, a large proportion of injury 62 percent of them was as a result of unstructured or unsupervised recreational activities. The strains of the soft tissue were the most commonly reported injuries with 41.6% of the subjects being affected. Subsequently, 28.3% of the participants reported skin breakdowns related to stumps, and 18.3% of the participants reported joint overuse injuries. Also, transfemoral amputees had more injuries than transtibial amputees, and injury prevalence was significantly related (p < 0.05) to a shorter time of prosthesis adaptation.
Conclusions. The results showed that the people who were amputated on lower limbs are especially vulnerable to harm in unmonitored or demanding physical exercises. A potential rehabilitation process with progressive series, the best-fit prostheses, and guided functional exercises will go a long way in reducing the injury rates. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation through physiotherapy, and prosthetic training together with patient education are critical to safety, functional performance, as well as long-term quality of life.
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