Posted by When it comes to ensuring better post-amputation outcomes, a holistic approach is required, which is why it’s not enough to trust that the quality of the surgery or the craftsmanship of a prosthetic device is enough to ensure a positive outcome. How an individual copes with limb loss is influenced by various factors, but one element tends to outweigh the others—psychological problems.
The American Psychological Association (APA) sought to determine this and assessed how psychological factors, such as individual coping strategies, social support, and demographic characteristics among others affect psycho-social adjustment to lower-limb amputation.
The researchers observed a sample of 86 Portuguese patients with type 2 diabetes, all of whom underwent a lower-limb amputation. They were evaluated in the hospital after the surgery, as well as inpatient follow-up consultations after one, six, and 10 months.
The results of the longitudinal study showed that there is a need to improve psychological screening and early treatment of anxiety symptoms before the surgery. There is also a need to improve symptoms of traumatic stress and depression after an amputation further, and the study advocated for the importance of social support over time.
According to the study, patients that demonstrated higher levels of anxiety before the surgery showed lower social adjustment after the surgery. And those who showed high function pre-amputation showed a greater ability to adjust to any prosthetic limitations.
As for traumatic stress, this typically created a difficult social and overall adjustment period, particularly to the perceived limitations of this new amputee lifestyle. On a positive note, social support helped tremendously and was capable of mediating the relationship between traumatic stress and the adjustment to limb loss.
Does gender make a difference? Yes, according to the study, men were associated with higher depression and anxiety symptoms.
What did you think about these findings? Let us know in the comments section below.
This was a good read and being a male with the loss of my leg and seeing my wife have to step up and work more and harder to make up the difference was devastating to me still is I had no issues with the prosthetic or even walking I told the drs the day I got my leg I was walking out of that building with no help and I did never went to any kind of pt or anything after not walking for five years while they figured out what they would do with my injury but being depressed and embarrassed because during the summer I have to stop and empty the gallon of water out of my liner and people and children looking at me odd is embarrassing to my family I feel so I stopped doing things in public a lot or outside more or less my pre op was a drug fueled disaster cause I didn’t know what I would do thankfully I got away from the quacks and dope they had me on and just use marijuana it helps majorly with nerve pain and depression all at the same time I know this might sound dumb to those who don’t believe it helps with anything if your having a bad day or just depressed smoke a joint watch cartoons or anything really and you will find yourself in a better mood and possibly even up out and about without that limb even bothering you