Avaliação das variáveis espaço-temporais da marcha de adultos e idosos amputados de membro inferior: Indicadores de desempenho

Abstract

Lower limb amputation directly impacts functionality and the ability to walk, conditions that compromise an individual?s autonomy and quality of life. The present study aims to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in gait and performance indicators in adults and elderly individuals with lower limb amputations, during the pre-prosthetic phase. This is an observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study involving 24 participants, divided into two groups: 13 adults and 11 elderly individuals. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires for sample characterization and various functional and gait assessment tools, including the Amputee Mobility Predictor (AMPnoPRO), the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Inertial Measurement Equipment with Accelerometer and Gyroscope (BAIOBIT). The descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between the adult and elderly groups, and Spearman's correlation test (p?0.05) were used to correlate the spatiotemporal gait variables with the factors of age, BMI, amputation time, physical therapy treatment duration, and functional tests. The results showed that variables such as age, physiotherapeutic treatment duration, and performance on functional tests (FIM, AMP, and TUG) are significantly correlated with the spatiotemporal characteristics of gait. Compared to adults, the elderly exhibited a lower cadence (p=0.013) and longer step duration (p=0.022). It is concluded that age, physiotherapeutic treatment duration, and performance on functional tests are important indicators for assessing the gait of amputees, providing useful information for clinical practice. Furthermore, the results suggest that adult amputees demonstrate a more functional gait in comparison to the elderly. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]