About Amputation

There is no reason you can’t live a full, active life after an amputation. At the Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute, we offer specialized amputee care that will maximize your independence. Our team of dedicated professionals will meet your medical and rehabilitation needs following your surgery and after you have been discharged home.

Phase One

Following your surgery, our specialized therapists will work with you to help you regain mobility. Our compassionate team will be at your side, providing education and support. Therapy begins at the bedside with your first instructions on how to get into a chair, what exercises to start with and how to get dressed again. Doctors, nurses, nutritionists and social workers will also be an integral part of your team.

Phase Two

At our CARF-accredited inpatient rehabilitation unit, you will continue more aggressive therapy to reach your daily living goals, including mobility and self-care tasks. Our team will work with you on exercising and practicing routine daily tasks. You will also participate in your medication and wound care regimens to increase your independence. The goal of this phase is to prepare you for being discharged home.

Among the services we provide:

  • Specialized stump wrapping to prepare for prosthetic fitting
  • Use of the Nintendo Wii for balance training
  • Functional outings with recreational therapy for integration back into the community
  • Practice of higher-level daily routine tasks such as laundry and cooking
Phase Three

Therapy does not end when you are discharged home. At our outpatient facilities, you will continue working with our specialized physical and occupational therapists to maximize your independence and follow through to the completion of your mobility and self-care goals. Your therapists will work closely with your prosthetist to find the optimal set-up and alignment of your prosthesis with ongoing gait analysis.

Among the services we provide:

  • Orthotic and prosthetic assessments and assistance
  • Seating and wheelchair assessment
  • Wheelchair clinics
  • Flexibility, strengthening, gait and balance training with extensive education

Causes and Symptoms

Amputations commonly occur as part of a treatment for some other condition. The most common reason is to treat a wound that will not heal, often because of restricted blood flow to a limb. Amputation also may be needed to keep an infection from spreading and to manage pain.

 

Among other causes:

Treatment

At the Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute, our team will begin working with you as soon as possible following your surgery. We understand that an amputation can affect your self-image, mobility and independence. Our team of compassionate specialists will begin immediate work to help you regain your lost mobility.

As your treatment progresses from phase one to phase three, our multidisciplinary team will help you set and achieve goals to maximize your abilities both at home and in the community. Having our specialists work together as a team guarantees that you will receive the best treatments and therapies possible.

When you move into inpatient treatment, the initial goal is to get you past the crisis management mode that may have left you feeling exhausted. Our compassionate team will work with you and your loved ones to develop a clear understanding of your condition and any changes that may result from your injury. We want you to appreciate all the things you are still capable of doing for yourself, as well as ways to overcome any limitations you might have.

From there, you will work with our team of specialized therapists to meet your personal goals and prepare you for discharge. Your care team will include physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, specialized nurses and clinical social workers. We also work with you on pain management, using a wide range of treatment options, including:

  • Medications
  • Compression
  • Mirror therapy
  • Desensitization strategies
  • Psychological counseling
  • Physical exercises and positioning
  • Group classes focusing on mindfulness, yoga, music, pet therapy and cooking
Outpatient Care

As your rehabilitation journey continues, you will eventually return to life outside of a full-time rehabilitation facility. When that happens, effective outpatient care is critical to your continued improvement. Orlando Health is committed to ensuring and supporting a smooth transition that helps you meet your personal goals.

Our team will help you develop a customized care plan utilizing our highly specialized outpatient centers. We will help you and your family to set achievable goals. You will work one-on-one with your therapist throughout your journey to build daily living skills to help you achieve the highest level of functional independence.

Among the services we offer:

  • Referrals for home/outpatient therapies
  • Peer support
  • Prosthetic specialists

Outcomes Data

Outcomes data for current year:

  • Length of stay

    Length of stay for amputee patient: 10.9 days, compared to the national average of 12 days

  • Change in Mobility score

    Change in Mobility score: stands at 34.1, as compared to the national average of 28.5

  • Mobility scores

    76.5% of our patients met or exceeded expected targets in mobility scores compared to nation 68.6%

  • Functional Efficiency

    76.47% of patients met or exceeded expected targets in Functional Efficiency, compare to nation 67.21%

Aspire to Excellence - carf Accredited seal

Commitment to Excellence

The Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute has earned national recognition for our inpatient rehabilitation program and treatment of brain injuries, strokes and spinal cord injuries.

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