Prescribing Physician Perspective on Microprocessor-Controlled Prosthetic Knees

摘要

The goal of prosthetic prescription is to choose prosthetic components that will help to optimize functional quality of life while minimizing risk, according to an individual patient's abilities, goals, and lifestyle. This article describes important considerations in the prescription of a microprocessor knee (MPK). There are many elements of a thorough history and physical examination that should be factored into a prosthetic knee prescription, many of which are important when considering an MPK. Prescribing clinicians are faced with limited quality evidence and contradictory findings from research studies. There is a clear need to expand the evidence basis because there is also a need to train more physicians in amputee rehabilitation and prosthetic prescription. Although the methodological quality of evidence in the field of prosthetics will ideally increase in the future, intellectual rigor, clinical experience, and common sense are and will continue to be vital to the optimization of prosthetic prescription.