Patient Evaluation Flashcards

A practitioner observes foot slap at initial contact during gait analysis of a patient wearing an AFO. Which impairment is most likely responsible?

Answer: Insufficient ankle dorsiflexion strength (foot drop)

Foot slap occurs when the dorsiflexors are too weak to eccentrically control plantarflexion during loading response.

During a comprehensive prosthetic evaluation, why is contralateral limb assessment important?

Answer: It identifies overuse injury risk and informs gait training priorities

The contralateral limb is at elevated risk for overuse injury due to compensatory loading and its assessment guides preventive rehabilitation strategies.

A patient with a below-knee amputation secondary to vascular disease is being evaluated. Which vascular status finding would most warrant consultation with the referring physician before fitting?

Answer: Absent pedal pulse with rest pain in the residual limb

Absent pedal pulse with rest pain indicates critical limb ischemia that must be addressed medically before prosthetic fitting can proceed safely.

When evaluating a pediatric patient with myelomeningocele for lower extremity orthotic needs, which factor most strongly determines the level of orthotic support required?

Answer: Neurological level of the lesion and resulting motor/sensory function

The neurological lesion level determines which muscles are functional and which joints require orthotic control to enable ambulation.

A practitioner evaluates a patient's functional reach and balance prior to fitting a transfemoral prosthesis. Which test provides standardized quantitative balance data most useful for this population?

Answer: Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale combined with functional reach test

The ABC scale quantifies self-reported balance confidence while the functional reach test provides an objective balance performance measure.

During evaluation, a patient describes their residual limb pain as 'burning and shooting' and worsening at night. What type of pain is most likely being described?

Answer: Neuropathic pain

Burning, shooting, and nocturnal pain are classic descriptors of neuropathic pain from damaged peripheral nerves in the residual limb.

When evaluating hip range of motion in a transfemoral amputee candidate, which finding most significantly compromises prosthetic gait potential?

Answer: Hip flexion contracture greater than 25 degrees

A hip flexion contracture greater than 25 degrees prevents neutral hip extension during terminal stance, severely limiting prosthetic gait efficiency.