The Amputee Rehabilitation at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center supports your physical and emotional needs resulting from the loss of limb due to an accident, illness, birth defect or cancer.
Our care program can prepare you for an artificial limb (prosthesis). We will help you learn new skills and adaptations as you advance toward a greater level of independence and a higher quality of life.
Our Patients
Patients often come to Ohio State for our comprehensive care and rehabilitation services following the loss of a lower or upper limb, including:
- Foot or ankle
- Leg below/above the knee or at the hip
- Fingers, hand or wrist
- Arm below/above the elbow or at the shoulder
Why choose The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center?
Ohio State’s team of physicians, nurses and therapists is specially trained for after-amputation care. Our program also includes certified prosthetists – experts in fitting and adjusting artificial limbs to improve the patient’s comfort and enhance functional ability. Here are additional reasons why people choose Ohio State for help after the loss of a limb:
Personalized Care: You will receive a personal evaluation that helps create an individualized care plan to meet your needs and lead you toward your health goals. We will help you learn the skills and techniques you need to improve your abilities at work, home and social settings.
Unique Services: Orthopedic surgeons, prosthetists and physical therapists work together to manage your care. This clinical team employs the most advanced, evidence-based practice model to provide leading-edge rehabilitation services. Our clinical therapists offer innovative approaches while helping the amputee patient with advanced prosthetic technology.
Accredited Programs: We are proud that our Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs at Dodd Hall and our Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation Programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CARF recognizes our programs as meeting the highest standards in quality, safety and outcome measures, which provide risk-reduction and accountability in our patient care.
Nation’s Best: Ohio State’s rehabilitation program consistently ranks among the best in the nation. As an academic medical center, Ohio State offers comprehensive medical expertise, the most advanced technologies and treatment techniques, and innovative care backed by research knowledge.
Our Services
The Specialty Amputee Program offers rehabilitation services to help in each phase of your rehabilitation — from services offered in the hospital (inpatient services) to those offered after returning home (outpatient services). These services help you achieve your highest level of recovery.We will help you:
- Achieve comfort and independence with your amputation if you do not have an artificial limb
- Care for your amputation, including wound care, phantom pain, stump wrapping and desensitization
- Choose the appropriate artificial limb for the best fit and function
- Prevent complications
- Return to driving, if possible
- Return to work and daily activities (walking and climbing stairs), if possible
Care Companion Program
This service has an interactive, individualized care plan available with MyChart.
Your Treatment Team
Your personalized treatment plan starts with a team of specialists who may include:
- Physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating patients with injuries or diseases
- Nurses who specialize in patient care, health promotion and disease prevention
- Physical therapists who specialize in helping patients achieve maximum strength, balance and mobility
- Occupational therapists who specialize in improving patients' ability to complete activities of daily living
- Prosthetists who specialize in fitting, adjusting and the care of artificial limbs
- Pain management specialists who specialize in evaluating and treating patients with severe persistent and disabling pain
- Dietitians who specialize in nutrition and dietetics
- Counselors who provide a variety of counseling, rehabilitation and support services
Your Treatment Plan
Your treatment plan is customized to meet your specific needs and may include:
- Consultation and evaluation
- Wound care
- Pain management
- Patient and family education
- Preparation for artificial limb
- Customized artificial limbs, braces, splints, canes and other assistive devices
- Fitting and adjusting of artificial limb
- Physical therapy with specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities
- Occupational therapy to help people engage in activities of daily living
- Social work to help individuals enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning
- Rehabilitation counseling
- Nutrition counseling
- Introduction to adaptive sports and exercise to promote an active lifestyle and continue exercise following rehabilitation