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If you need an inspiring story to watch...watch this! "My therapy is my medicine"

wonderful vidoe of a man who learned to live again through his strong will, help of his OT and family. Now he helps others...

Real story of elective amputation

Her strength amazes me! To be so young when the accident happened, then for her to ultimately decide an elective amputation.

The mission of the VA Center of Excellence for Limb Loss Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering is to provide broad based investigators the opportunity to conduct basic and clinical research and effectively disseminate their findings in an effort to impact the quality of life and functional status of veteran amputees and veterans who are at risk for amputation.

Then, a century-old mystery: why do many amputees still feel their missing limbs? We speak with a neuroscientist who solved the problem with an optical illusion. This section also contains the intro, so it takes a some time to get to the phantom limb story, start playing the recording at approximately 14:40.

Limb loss is always devastating, both physically and emotionally. I've frequently told patients who have lost a limb or are facing the prospect of losing one, "You are going through something that no one should ever have to go through." Limb loss is, however, especially devastating whenever it happens to a child.

I love this lady! She is an OTA who has a lower extremity amputation and allows the viewer to see the real life struggles in a first person point of view. She gives good advice for safe showering/bathing and points out different ways for different people. Lastly, this video will help home health OTA's to know what an amputee may need to make life easier (stand up shower vs. bathtub).

This is so funny! Love the cat! Good, practical info too.

Amazing!

OT's role with amputees.

This article gives a history of the evolution of prosthetics---brief and interesting. Who knew that these started with the Egytians?

This lady is great! She is an amputee OT! She gives a great personal perspective as well as clinical perspective. In this video she walks us through different kinds of shrinkers, how to apply, her opinions on them, etc. Such a unique view!

Great explanation of how and why to wear shrinkers. I like her teaching style and her humor.

Glad I'm not the only one who subscribed to her. I saw her videos a while back when I was searching for prosthesis information. She is apparently originally from TN as well!

Signal Strengthening An important goal following TMR is strengthening reinnervated muscles so they generate electrical signals that can be detected by surface electrodes. Strengthening the contraction of the transferred-nerve muscles before the fitting helps the patient develop the adequate endurance needed to proceed with TMR myoelectric prosthetic training.

This is a very interesting and informative article on the pre-prosthetic treatment OT gives a client. The client will be assessed by OT for things like ROM, scar management, pain, phantom pain and sensation, and desensitization. Client interview helps the practitioner choose a correct prosthetic. Always consider the psychosocial aspect. There are different things to consider if the amputation is unilateral or bilateral. The OT will help prepare the limb to wear the prosthetic. Mirror therapy can be used as a treatment option for phantom pain. The OT will help in ADL training, stump care, prosthetic care, and psychosocial care.

This is an article about i-limbs which is a type of prosthestic design. It shows the different types of amputees, how they put the device together and how OT is involved. It even tells some patients goals and how the OT helps them reach their goals.

This was a great article about a woman who is an OT and her insight to working with people with UE Amputations. The article had great information about what OT is all about and how she and her team helps those with UE amputations.

By Saul Morris, PhD If you have had an amputation or are going to have one, let me assure you that others have already gone through the same experience. You may be feeling physical pain, fear, apprehension, loneliness, uncertainty and sadness but I can assure you that you will make it though all of this.

This addresses the shame and the stages of grief that an amputee can expect to experience.

There are a lot of good articles listed in the sidebar on the left.

This story is about a firefighter who lost his arm fighting a fire. His arm was amputated and the he was fitted with a prosthetic. He worked with an OT and prosthetic forever! He wanted to be able to return to his dream job of fighting a fire! He worked very hard and he had his share of his ups and downs. I am not going to tell you all the ending, so please read it. It is not long at all and will take you 10 minutes at the max.

I found this video to be fascinating! This LE amputee built a prosthesis out of legos. I know this is not very educational, however, it amazes me that anything Is possible with the correct mind set.

This article explains what targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is for UE prostheses, the functional capacity increase over conventional myoelectric controlled UE prostheses, and OT's role in rehab with this type of device and patient.