Summary of Didactic Education

In working with amputees who plan to be fitted with an orthotic, there is a lot of data that needs to be collected. One of our lab assignments for PTA Cardiopulmonary & Integumentary Management was to create a data collection chart for both trans-tibial and trans-femoral amputees.

The most common cause of amputation in adults is peripheral vascular disease. The link below will bring you to a power point that was created by another student and myself for our Pathology course.

Upon returning home after an amputation, most rehab facilities will conduct a home visit and complete an inspection to determine what modifications may need to be made for the patient to return home and function safely with their assistive device.  See the link below for an assignment for PTA Rehab Across the Lifespan.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Many patients have weakness and/or difficulty activating their muscles after an injury, surgery or a CVA. Nueromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) can be used to stimulate and recruit muscles. It can also be used to fatigue muscles that are spastic due to muscle spasms. In my current clinical rotation, I am working with several CVA patients so we may choose to use NMES to help recruit muscles in their upper extremities. The following paper describes research regarding use of NMES with patients who have suffered a CVA.