Resource Library
Care for the Residual Limb will go over what are some common compression guidelines you may run into. It will educate you on how to wrap the residual limb for a below knee amputation and an above knee amputation. Education on what a shrinker is housed here as well.
This topic analysis will go over why it is important to use outcome measures, how to set post operative period expectations, and what the term acute phase of healing encompasses.
The Evaluation Protocol goes over what a step by step evaluation can look like. This gives an outline when seeing patients with an amputation. It will also go over how to occupational therapy uses a holistic approach and why it is important to include family into the evaluation when possible.
This topic analysis goes over how the protocol came about and gives an outline for things to include when evaluating an individual with an upper extremity amputation.
The overview of Assessments goes over why assessments are important and the difference between standardized and non-standardized assessments. There is a list of possible assessment to use based on how the patient is presenting and the needs of the patient. This is not an exhaustive list of assessments but it is a good point to start.
Here you will find why supports are important. Peer mentor is defined as it is a term that can come up with your patient during treatment. There is a list for resources you can share with applicable patients and another short list for younger populations and athletes.
The overview for current knowledge of phantom limb pain is explained on this document. Phantom limb pain is defined and explained. Cortical remapping and proprioceptive memory are also explained for occupational therapy practitioners to understand phantom limb pain.
This evidence-based resource goes over a few treatment ideas that can help alleviate phantom limb pain for patients. It also goes over why some patients feel that their phantom limb is "stuck" in a certain position.
The overview of What to Screen for goes over a checklist that can be used for each patient who has had an amputation. It is good to look over this list while working with the patient to ensure best quality of care for them. This one-pager also gives insight why letting the patient fail is good at times.
Case Study #1 goes over a scenario for an individual with a below knee amputation. This is not an exhaustive list of interventions to complete with the patient but is a means to get ideas flowing for patients with an amputation.
Case Study #2 goes over a scenario for an individual with a below knee amputation who is making decisions that may be unsafe. The list of interventions is not exhaustive but it is a means to get ideas flowing for patients with an amputation.
Case Study #3 goes over a below knee amputation with a post operative period of six weeks. This is not an exhaustive list of interventions to complete with the patient but is a means to get ideas flowing for patients with an amputation.
Tips on Desensitization is an evidence-based resource that educated on the topic of desensitization. Desensitization is described and what types are commonly used. It also examines why desensitization is important to use for individuals who have had an amputation.
This document outlines information on wound dressings. The sheet describes the different types of dressings an occupationaly therapy practitioner may encounter when working with someone who has had a recent amputation. It also describes a typical order of the dressings but a surgon will determine this for each patient.
The link provided will educate on the proper technique on how to wrap the residual limb using an ACE bandage. The video assists for visual learners. Supplies needed to follow aling with the video include 4 inch ACE wrap and tape.