It doesn't matter if you are receiving your first prosthesis or if you are a proficient prosthetic user, we can help.

Pre-Prosthetic Training & General Fitness

Pre-prosthetic training in physical therapy is a crucial phase aimed at preparing individuals who are awaiting or planning to receive a prosthetic limb. This specialized service focuses on several key aspects to optimize the patient's physical and psychological readiness for prosthetic fitting and subsequent use. A few of those aspects include:

Transfer and mobility training
Desensitization and pain management
Residual limb care
Strength and conditioning

General fitness training with a prosthesis involves specialized exercises and activities designed to improve overall physical conditioning, strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular health for individuals who use prosthetic limbs. This type of training is essential to enhance functional abilities, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and optimize the performance and longevity of the prosthetic device.

Prosthetic Gait Training

Gait training with a prosthesis for beginners is a structured rehabilitation process designed to help individuals learn how to walk effectively and comfortably with their new prosthetic limb. This phase is crucial for building foundational skills, improving confidence, and ensuring safe mobility.

Prosthetic orientation and education
Weight bearing and balance training
Gait pattern development
Assisted walking and parallel bar usage
Training with assistive devices
Stair, ramp and curb training

Advanced gait training with a prosthesis involves specialized techniques and exercises aimed at refining and optimizing walking patterns, balance, and overall mobility for individuals who use prosthetic limbs. This training goes beyond basic prosthetic fitting and initial gait training to address more complex challenges and goals. Here’s a detailed overview of what advanced gait training with a prosthesis typically involves:

Assessment of the individual's current gait mechanics, prosthetic fit, residual limb condition, strength, range of motion, balance, and functional goals.
Analysis may include video gait analysis to identify specific areas of improvement and develop a targeted training plan.
Training focuses on refining gait mechanics to achieve a smooth, efficient, and symmetrical walking pattern.
Addressing issues such as stride length, cadence, step symmetry, and weight distribution between the prosthetic and unaffected limb.

Functional K-Level Assessments

This type of evaluation is utilized by healthcare providers such as a prosthetist or physician to justify functional abilities to insurance providers. This documentation is often required when individuals are attempting to obtain components that assists patients to perform higher level functional activities. Due to the increased time it may take to complete all test and measures, this evaluation is performed upon request to allow for appropriate scheduling.

A Functional K-Level assessment is a standardized method used in prosthetic rehabilitation to evaluate an individual's functional abilities and mobility potential with a prosthetic limb. This assessment helps determine the appropriate prosthetic components and rehabilitation goals based on the person's activity level and lifestyle.

Based on the assessment findings, the individual is assigned a Functional K-Level classification ranging from K0 to K4. This classification system was developed by the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) and is widely used in clinical practice to guide prosthetic prescription and rehabilitation goals.