Abstract
Lower limb amputation (LLA) is a devastating event for an individual, often disrupting several aspects of life and, at least initially, upsetting the order of their daily routine. Lower limb amputation places a person at increased risk for secondary medical conditions, like joint degeneration and low back pain, related to use of a prosthesis. Additionally, an increased risk for falls may illicit loss of confidence, and have a detrimental effect on social interactions and quality of life (QoL). The use of outcome measures to assess whether applied interventions are effective can help to focus care and provide guidance to clinicians into best practices. The purpose of this dissertation was to establish the psychometric properties of the Component Timed-Up-and-Go test (cTUG) in evaluating basic prosthetic mobility, and determining which variables, classified by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model, contribute to performance on the cTUG. Secondary objectives were to examine to how variables classified by the ICF model differ between people categorized as fallers and non-fallers, and to examine temporal-spatial parameters of a 180˚ step turn in people with unilateral LLA, extracted from cTUG performance. Test-retest reliability as well as construct validity were established for the cTUG, and modifiable and non-modifiable rehabilitation variables predicted performance on the test. Additionally, it was found that amputees perform a 180˚ turn differently depending on whether the prosthetic limb or the intact limb was the inner limb of the turn.