One Step at a Time:
Recovering From Limb Loss

Recovery may be defined as a return to a normal condition.

Individuals Recover Differently

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to bounce back from the tragedies in their lives, while others find themselves trapped in a cycle of despair, anger or depression? Most of us will, from time to time, compare ourselves to those around us. It is natural, then, for people with limb loss to compare their recovery process to the experiences of other amputees.

What Is Recovery

Livneh and Antonak in Psychosocial Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability (1997) list six signs of recovery:

• A sense of balance in emotions and relationships
• Awareness of abilities and limitations
• Positive self-concept and a sense of accomplishment
• Ability to get around in the environment
• Participation in social, vocational and/or recreational activities
• Setting priorities.

Recovery is a tall order for anyone, with or without limb loss! Whatever recovery means to you:

• Take time to learn what makes everyone’s recovery different.
• Determine your personal goals.
• Ask for help when you need it.

There are many issues that affect recovery from amputation. These can be divided into four categories:

1. Issues related to the amputation

• Whether the amputation was sudden or due to a chronic, debilitating illness
• The level of the amputation
• Whether the amputation surgery was successful in stabilizing the condition that caused it
• How the day-to-day ability to function will be affected

2. Individual characteristics

• Age or health status. Obviously, the older you are, the greater the chance that you have other conditions (known as comorbid conditions) that could impact your recovery.
• Current stage of life
• Financial status
• Ethnic background

3. Personality traits

• Coping strategies used before the surgery
• Sense of control over the situation
• Attitudes toward health and sickness
• Self-concept and body image
• Experience coping with other similar losses

4. Characteristics of the physical and social environment

• Availability of a support system, such as family, friends or a support group
• Availability of appropriate medical care
• Accessibility of services in the community
• Living arrangements
• How other people view limb loss

The Recovery Process

Recovery from amputation is an ongoing process.
It is clear that:

• Not everyone has the same response to amputation.
• The highest level of recovery is not achieved by everyone.
• Recovery does not happen in a particular order.

Individuals may experience phases one after another
and then regress to an earlier phase. A person might
skip one or more phases, or one phase could overlap
with another.

• Each phase of recovery requires different coping patterns.

Resources for Recovery

A variety of resources exist to help you successfully recover from amputation.

• Peer visitation
• Amputee support groups
• Online support groups
• Amputee Coalition Web site (www.amputee-coalition.org)
• Individual or group counseling with a social worker or psychologist
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Supportive family and friends

Still not sure how to get the help you need? Call the Amputee Coalition at 888/267-5669 and speak with an information specialist.

© Amputee Coalition. Local reproduction for use by Amputee Coalition constituents is permitted as long as this copyright information is included. Organizations or individuals wishing to reprint this article in other publications, including other World Wide Web sites must contact the Amputee Coalition for permission o do so.