COC Rehabilitation & Outcomes 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary goal of pre-prosthetic rehabilitation following lower limb amputation?
- Residual limb conditioning, contracture prevention, and upper body strengthening (Correct answer)
- Immediate ambulation with a definitive prosthesis
- Scar massage only to improve skin mobility
- Cognitive assessment for prosthesis training readiness
Correct answer: Residual limb conditioning, contracture prevention, and upper body strengthening
Pre-prosthetic rehab focuses on residual limb shaping, preventing contractures, maintaining cardiovascular fitness, and building upper body strength for transfers.
Question 2: Phantom limb pain (PLP) is most effectively addressed as a first-line intervention with:
- Mirror therapy or graded motor imagery (Correct answer)
- Immediate socket revision
- Complete limb immobilization
- Avoiding any movement of the residual limb
Correct answer: Mirror therapy or graded motor imagery
Mirror therapy and graded motor imagery use visual feedback to remap cortical representation, reducing phantom limb pain in many patients.
Question 3: The most common complication leading to prosthetic rehabilitation failure in the early post-fitting phase is:
- Residual limb skin breakdown due to poor socket fit (Correct answer)
- Prosthetic foot failure
- Knee joint mechanical failure
- Battery depletion in electronic components
Correct answer: Residual limb skin breakdown due to poor socket fit
Skin breakdown from pressure and shear at the socket interface is the leading cause of interrupted prosthetic rehabilitation and device non-use.
Question 4: Which exercise is contraindicated for a transfemoral amputee due to the risk of promoting a hip flexion contracture?
- Prolonged sitting in hip flexion without prone positioning to counterbalance (Correct answer)
- Prone hip extension exercises
- Side-lying hip abduction exercises
- Standing balance exercises on a foam pad
Correct answer: Prolonged sitting in hip flexion without prone positioning to counterbalance
Prolonged sitting shortens hip flexors; without regular prone lying to stretch them, transfemoral amputees develop hip flexion contractures that impair prosthetic gait.
Question 5: K-level classification is primarily used to determine prosthetic prescription by predicting:
- Functional rehabilitation potential and activity level (Correct answer)
- Wound healing time post-amputation
- Insurance premium rates for the patient
- The type of anesthesia needed for fitting
Correct answer: Functional rehabilitation potential and activity level
K-levels (K0–K4) guide component selection by estimating the patient's functional rehabilitation potential and anticipated activity demands.
Question 6: Edema management of the residual limb post-amputation is most effectively achieved with:
- Rigid removable dressings (RRD) or shrinker socks applied consistently (Correct answer)
- Elevation alone without compression
- Ice packs applied directly to the incision
- Daily wet-to-dry dressing changes only
Correct answer: Rigid removable dressings (RRD) or shrinker socks applied consistently
RRDs and shrinker socks apply graduated compression to shape the residual limb, reduce post-operative edema, and accelerate prosthetic readiness.
COC Rehabilitation & Outcomes 1
What is the primary goal of pre-prosthetic rehabilitation following lower limb amputation?