Determinants of common musculoskeletal disorder in persons with a lower limb prosthesis

Abstract

Background: Individuals who use prosthetic devices to replace missing limbs face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. This study explores the multifaceted experiences of these patients, focusing on the development of musculoskeletal disorders following the use of lower limb prostheses. Objectives: To identify the determinants of common musculoskeletal disorders in persons with lower limb prostheses. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included a total of 104 participants who had been using lower limb prostheses for varying durations. Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires, which captured sociodemographic information, details about the type and duration of prosthesis use, and the severity of musculoskeletal pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Statistical analysis, including Chi Square tests, Fishers Exact test was conducted to assess the relationship between these factors, with a focus on identifying significant associations. Result: The study of 104 prosthesis users found that low back pain (43.3%), knee pain (32.7%), and hip pain (17.3%) were the most common issues, with 6.7% reporting pain in multiple joints. We identified significant associations between prosthesis type (p = 0.001), technology (p = 0.009), and duration of use (p = 0.045) with musculoskeletal disorders. However, no significant link was found between pain severity and either prosthesis type or duration of use. Sociodemographic factors like age, gender, and BMI were not significantly related to these disorders. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that individuals utilizing lower limb prosthetics frequently have lower back, knee, and hip pain. These concerns are closely related to the prosthesis type, technology, and duration of usage. Age, gender, and BMI, on the other hand, had no discernible effect. This implies that enhancing prosthesis technology and design, along with taking usage length into account, may help lessen these musculoskeletal issues. Keyword: lower limb prosthesis, musculoskeletal disorder, Amputation Word count: 9274