DETECTING CHANGES IN COMFORT, PAIN, AND MOBILITY OVER CLINICAL MILESTONES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LOWER LIMB LOSS
Authors: Pousett Brittany , Harasym Charlene C , Rapaport Malena Sofia , Richardson Tessa , Spellen Jesse , Moe David W , Miller William C 
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND: Functional mobility, comfort and the absence of pain are key goals of prosthetic treatment. Outcome measures (OMs) evaluate the impact of treatment and normative and minimal detectable change (MDC) values are key to interpreting these scores and measuring treatment outcomes.
OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to 1) present practice-based normative values of four commonly used OMs at four prosthetic milestones and 2) explore the MDC of the measures over the treatment period.
METHODOLOGY: A chart review was conducted of OMs collected with individuals with lower limb loss between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2023. This included data for individuals with unilateral transtibial (TT), transfemoral (TF) and rotationplasty (RP) amputations and bilateral transtibial amputation (BTT). OMs included the Socket Comfort Score (SCS), Pain Scale (PS), 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT), and Prosthetic Limb Users Survey of Mobility (PLUS-M). Data were collected at four milestone time points: (1) Baseline and (2) Discharge from Rehabilitation for those in initial prosthetic rehabilitation, and (3) Initial Evaluation and (4) Definitive Delivery for those receiving a replacement socket. Normative values and MDC values were calculated.
FINDINGS: Data from 30 individuals undergoing in-patient rehabilitation and 74 individuals receiving a replacement socket were included. Practice-based normative data were different for each level of amputation and milestone and had the following ranges: SCS: 5.7 – 9.1, PS: 0.8 – 3.7, 2MWT: 68.4 – 146.3 m and PLUS-M: 38.9 – 57.3. MDC values also varied based on time in treatment (Rehabilitation: SCS = 2.5, PS = 1.6, 2MWT = 32.6, PLUS-M = 8.8; Replacement Socket: SCS = 3.1, PS = 2.6, 2MWT = 38.9, PLUS-M = 4.0). All measures had a statistically significant change over the intervention, however, no average scores changed by greater than the MDC.
CONCLUSIONS: The normative data and MDC scores demonstrate the PS & PLUS-M are useful measures of pain and mobility at all points within treatment. The 2MWT is indicated for individuals in rehabilitation, while the SCS is indicated for those receiving a replacement socket, as both effectively measure treatment goals that are particularly important for each phase of rehabilitation. This provides clinicians with practice-based evidence that enables them to interpret OM scores, a critical part of the decision-making process along the treatment journey.
Layman's Abstract
When someone receives a prosthesis, the key goals are to promote mobility and comfort and to reduce pain. Outcome measures are questionnaires or performance-based tests that measure the impact of prosthetic treatment. The scores are interpreted by comparing them to normal values and assessing changes over time against a predetermined threshold for what constitutes a significant amount of change. This study analyzed outcome measure scores collected in clinical practice over a 9-year period, from 2015 - 2023. We included individuals with lower limb loss and presented normal values along with threshold change values taken from a clinical setting for four commonly used measures that assess comfort, pain, and mobility. The data included 30 individuals currently attending initial rehabilitation and 74 individuals who had prior experience using a prosthesis. All the normal values were different for each level of amputation and each milestone within rehabilitation. Suggestions are provided regarding which outcome measures are most useful for assessing changes at different points in time. By providing clinicians with evidence based on clinical practice, we can help them use outcome measures to inform decision-making throughout the rehabilitation journey.
Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/43890/33243
How To Cite: Pousett B.M, Harasym C.C, Rapaport M.S, Richardson T, Spellen J, Moe D.W, et al. Detecting changes in comfort, pain, and mobility over clinical milestones for individuals with lower limb loss. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2024; Volume 7, Issue 1, No.7. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v7i1.43890
Corresponding Author: Brittany Mae Pousett, CP(C), MSc.540 SE Marine Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5X 2T4Tel: 604.321.1115E-Mail: brittany@pousett.caORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2272-7847