Early gait training

Early gait training of the person with a transfemoral amputation

(Adapted from Northwestern University Medical School Prosthetic - Orthotic Center, " Lower-Limb Prosthetics for Therapists," 1989, with permission.)

Lateral weight transfer

1. Stand between the parallel bars with feet 2-4 inches apart (A).
2. Shift weight laterally from the sound leg to the prosthesis (B).
3. Shift weight by moving the hips rather than the shoulders.
4. Keep the shoulders and pelvis level, and don't bend the sound knee.

5. Do not allow the trunk to sidebend, particularly toward the prosthetic side.
6. Practice shifting weight forward, backward, and diagonally in the same manner.
7. When the person becomes more comfortable, he or she can let go with the hand on the sound side. (This forces the person to accept weight on the prosthesis, and activates the residual limb's hip abductor muscles.) Progress to letting go of both hands.

Alternate knee bending

1. Stand between the parallel bars with feet 2-4 inches apart.
2. Alternately bend the normal (A) and the prosthetic (B) knee just enough to raise the heel from the floor. This teaches the amputee how to "break" the prosthetic knee. Maintain toe contact with floor. Bend either knee with combination of forward pelvic rotation and hip flexion.
3. Reciprocally flex and extend the knees, starting with the sound knee.

Sound limb stepping

1. Stand between parallel bars with weight on the prosthesis.
2. Keeping the prosthesis "planted" on that spot, rhythmically step forward and back with the sound leg, repeating the sequence from heel rise (A) to heel strike (B).
3. The pelvis' sound side should rotate forward. Therapists can facilitate with a quick stretch, progressing to resistance techniques.
4. The normal foot should pass close to the prosthetic foot to facilitate transfer of body weight over the prosthesis.
CAUTION: Therapists should warn the person that some prosthetic knees are unstable when the sound limb is behind the prosthetic limb.

Prosthetic limb stepping

One may advance the prosthesis with unnatural pelvic substitutions unless he or she learns early to use a combination of forward pelvic rotation and hip flexion. The therapist can facilitate pelvic rotation with manual cues. Often, the person can attain the appropriate motion by practicing the following:

1. Stand between the parallel bars or at a stable surface like a kitchen counter, bearing weight on the sound leg (A).
2. Choose a target on the floor in front of the prosthetic toe. The target can be marked with tape.
3. Quickly swing the prosthesis forward, planting the heel on the target (B).
4. Move the prosthetic limb back so that it is behind the sound limb and repeat. Practice quick steps of different distances, and to different angles medially and laterally.

Combined stepping

1. Stand between parallel bars.
2. Keeping the prosthetic foot in place, step forward and back three times with the sound leg.
3. On the third step, step forward with the prosthesis.
4. Keeping the sound foot "planted", step forward and back three times with the prosthesis.
5. On the third step, complete the step by coming forward with the sound foot.
6. Repeat the sequence.

Forward walking within the parallel bars

1. Step first with the sound limb. Extend and stabilize the prosthetic knee by extending the hip. Initiate swing by rotating sound side pelvis forward. Monitor lateral trunk lean.
2. Gradually shift body weight from the prosthetic to the sound limb.
3. When the sound limb contacts the floor, begin to rotate the pelvis forward on the prosthetic side and flex the hip. This initiate swing of the prosthetic limb.
4. Make heel contact just when the prosthetic knee extends fully, placing the prosthetic heel ahead of the toe of the sound foot.
5. Upon contact of the prosthetic heel, press the residual limb backward against the socket's posterior wall; hip extension maintains the prosthetic knee in full extension and prevents instability. Gradually shift body weight to the prosthesis.

Sidestepping

1. Sidestepping develops stability during stance because it activates the hip abductors at a length and speed typical of walking. To sidestep toward the sound side, one balances on the prosthesis while holding it in adduction.
2. As the person steps sideways, abducting the sound limb, the therapist can apply downward force on the pelvis (arrow) to resist and strengthen the hip abductors on the opposite (prosthetic) side.
3. The person then shifts body weight to the sound limb and adducts the prosthesis to place the prosthetic foot next to the sound foot.
4. The person repeats the sequence as the therapists monitor lateral trunk lean.
5. Therapists and patients can adapt this sequence for sidestepping toward the prosthetic limb, and learning how better to control stance on the sound limb.

Cross-over walking

Cross-over walking permits simultaneous facilitation of stance side abductors and forward pelvic rotation of the swing side. Begin by balancing on the sound limb. Step sideways, moving the prosthesis in front of the sound limb by simultaneously rotating the pelvis forward on the prosthetic side and adducting the prosthesis.
The therapist can manually guide the swinging prosthetic limb through the requisite forward pelvic rotation. Because the patient must stand erect, without trunk or hip flexion, the exercise is best performed against a wall with the patient's hands placed at shoulder height.

Last updated 11-26-02. © Dave Thompson PT