The Impact of Prosthetics on Amputee Quality of Life

After someone has a limb amputated, their lifestyle must be rearranged to accommodate for the loss of the limb. This can include adjusting to an inability to do tasks that used to come easily and a drastic reduction in mobility. They may now require assistance with caring for themselves. As a side effect, amputees often experience a significant level of depression and anxiety related to their situation. A selection of literature was analyzed for the physiological, psychological, and sociological effects of losing a limb, and then for the ways in which a prosthetic limb would alleviate some of these issues. Results showed that prosthetic limbs can reduce symptoms in all three areas, but are not effective at relieving them on their own. Further analysis showed that while prosthetics help provide the means to become independent, and provide physical feedback to alleviate the feelings of phantom pain and altered body image, more could be done to prepare patients for these challenges before the amputation. Suggestions were given as a means by which this could be accomplished.Keywords: prosthetics, amputee, professional care