and Purpose: The number of people with limb loss is rapidly growing, partly due to an aging society and the prevalence of diabetes. Physical Therapy (PT) has been shown to improve perceived functional outcomes and quality of life in older adults and individuals with diabetes, but it is unclear why certain patients do not receive PT after amputation and whether the beneficial outcomes shown in other populations translate to individuals with limb loss. The purpose of this study was to determine

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... ether receiving PT among patients with limb loss correlates with an improved quality of life, better mobility, and a decrease in fear of falling avoidance behavior when compared to those who did not receive PT. We also evaluated patient perception regarding confidence and satisfaction with their prostheses and barriers that prevented therapy. Subjects: 48 patients with lower limb loss with prosthetic devices who were at least 6 months post-amputation were surveyed. Methods: 40 male and 8 female (57.8±15.1 years) participants were recruited from local prosthetic and PT clinics, rehabilitation hospitals, and an amputee patient support group. All participants completed the following surveys: Short-Form 36 survey (SF-36), mobility section of Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ), Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ), and the Perception of Confidence of Mobility and Perception of Satisfaction of Mobility sections of the Amputee Perception Survey. Results: Of our participants, 38 received Physical Therapy (YesPT) and 10 did not (NoPT). The YesPT group included individuals with unilateral above the knee (AK; 42.1%) and below the knee (BK; 42.1%) amputations, and 15.8% of higher level (i.e. hip disarticulation) or bilateral amputations. The NoPT group consisted of 10% AK and 90% BK amputations. A higher percentage of individuals in the YesPT group lost their limbs due to vascular causes than NoPT (36.8% vs 20%). There were no statistically significant differences in SF-36 Total (YesPT: 78.0±29.7 [...]