Musculoskeletal Measurements in Transfemoral Amputees

The aim of this study was to identify posture asymmetries in transfemoral amputees utilizing clinical evaluation measures. The purposes of this investigation were: 1) to measure the limb length indirectly to determine the proportion of participants with LLD and to quantify the mean amount of discrepancy. The investigators hypothesized that a majority of transfemoral amputees would present with a short prosthetic limb. 2) To measure pelvic tilt to determine if transfemoral amputees undergo musculoskeletal adaptations similar to those reported in the literature. The investigators hypothesized that transfemoral amputees would present with a greater degree of anterior pelvic tilt and pelvic innominate asymmetry than what has been previously reported. 3) To assess restriction in lateral trunk flexion and hip extension to determine if asymmetry was present and if it was related to the increase in anterior pelvic tilt. The investigators hypothesized that restrictions would be found in the lateral trunk flexors and hip flexors on the amputated side contributing to posture asymmetry at the pelvis. 4) To determine if musculoskeletal adaptations at the pelvis were affected by prosthetic limb length, lateral trunk flexion and hip extension restrictions, and residual limb length. The investigators hypothesized that the previously reported posture asymmetries would contribute to musculoskeletal adaptations at the pelvis and trunk. Results of the present study will provide a reference for clinicians when using clinical evaluation measures to determine the presence of posture asymmetries in transfemoral amputees. If posture asymmetries are detected, clinicians need to determine musculoskeletal structures at fault and offer treatment solutions to prevent secondary impairments.