There is a shortage of outcome measures that are designed specifically for patients in upper limb prosthetic rehabilitation.
Most of the existing assessments that are used with this patient population have been adopted from other medical specialties such as neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.
The inability to capture specific data directly from upper limb prosthetic users makes it difficult to identify a patient’s functional challenges and modify their care plan accordingly.
The CAPROQ and CAPROQ-S were developed specifically for upper limb prosthesis users. They capture a range of in-depth data including:
Collecting information about each patient's perceptions of their prosthetic rehabilitation makes it possible for us to identify and address challenges, and improve patient outcomes.
The CAPROQ & CAPROQ-S are different from existing outcome measures because they were created specifically for this unique patient population. The questions on these assessments examine multiple aspects of each person’s experience with upper limb loss or limb difference, and with the process of upper limb prosthetic rehabilitation.
The data collected during the assessment gives clinicians a window into each patient’s perceptions of their prosthetic rehabilitation, including perceived function, pain with and without a prosthesis, and overall satisfaction.
Perceived function of upper limb: This section of the assessment focuses on the patient’s perception of their functional use of the prosthesis on 10 individual tasks, and the scored results measure the patient’s perceived ability. When used in conjunction with a performance-based outcome measure like the CAPPFUL™, the patient gains a holistic understanding of their function with the prosthesis, as their performance with it may be higher or lower than what they perceive.
Impact of the prosthesis on pain: The assessment examines the patient’s perceived pain using five questions specific to pain with the prosthesis and five questions specific to pain without the prosthesis. Results from this section inform clinicians of obstacles that need to be addressed during prosthetic rehabilitation to improve the patient’s acceptance and use of the prosthesis.
Satisfaction with prosthetic rehabilitation: This section of the assessment addresses the patient’s satisfaction level in all areas of prosthetic rehabilitation, including training, function, appearance, and more. Results from this section provide insight into each patient’s satisfaction with specific areas of their rehabilitation. This gives clinicians the opportunity to work directly with the patient to address issues and improve prosthetic outcomes.
Arm Dynamics patient Sam Rosecrans before and after receiving his custom prosthesis.
Both assessments are powerful tools to improve each patient’s prosthetic rehabilitation experience. This data enables upper limb prosthetists and therapists to identify problem areas and make modifications to the care plan to improve patient outcomes. The results are higher rates of satisfaction and use of the prosthesis as patients reach their full rehabilitation potential.
The CAPROQ and CAPROQ-S are most effective when used in conjunction with a performance-based outcome measure such as the Capacity Assessment of Prosthetic Performance for Upper Limb (CAPPFUL™). By combining a patient-report measure with a performance-based measure, clinicians are able to capture a spectrum of useful data, and clearly identify and correct gaps between a patient’s perception and their prosthetic function.
Kerstin Baun MPH, OTR/L
National Director of Therapeutic Services
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