FW: Responses: Bilateral AK rising

FW: Responses: Bilateral AK rising

Paul E. Prusakowski

10/30/2000

-----Original Message-----
From: <Email Address Redacted> [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2000 4:52 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: Responses: Bilateral AK rising

Thanks to all who responded. I will share a copy of this with the PT.
Following is my original post.

I have been asked to solicit suggestions that might help a bilateral AK
amputee become proficient and safe rising from the wheelchair when preparing
to ambulate with a walker. She is walking well with the prostheses and a
walker, one manual lock and one weight activated locking knee. She is
working
hard with an experienced Physical Therapist but wondered if I might know
where helpful hints or suggestions might be found from people having more
experience with bilateral AK amputees. She prefers to have the prostheses
the
length they are currently which is the shortest I could achieve above the
knee and 15 1/4 inch knee centers. She is quite small, currently 79 lb.
without the prostheses. Any Ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance,
Eddie White, CP

Below are the responses:

I'm an AK/prosthetist. When I was first amputated I had a similar problem.
My sound limb was in a KAFO ischial bearing with locked knees. So I was
taught by the PT to get up just like paraplegics do when they use KAFOs.
Get the pt to the edge of the chair. Then cross one leg over the other at
the ankle. At this point she will have to turn her torso so that she can
grab the arm rests. Like if she crossed her left leg over the right then
her left arm would go for the right arm rest. While her right arm goes
behind her at this point she can push up from the chair. She should be
facing the chair when she is done. This is actually pretty easy. Just work
it out yourself and then demonstrate it for her. My PT showed me a book with
a paraplegic doing it. Her PT may have similar book. If I knew the name
I'd tell ya. Good luck