The Psychology of Limb Loss and Prosthetics

Paul Leimkuelher, a certified prosthetist, works closely with limb loss patients at Prosthetic Orthotic Solutions International. Paul Leimkuelher draws on in-depth experience in assessing and responding to patient needs as they acclimate to a new limb.

When a patient loses a limb, success in rehabilitation correlates directly with the individual's ability to emotionally cope with the loss. Such a major loss may lead to struggles with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues, while the event that led to the loss may leave a patient vulnerable to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is vitally important for patients to have access to psycho-therapeutic services that help them to cope with these challenges.

Research also suggests that patients may struggle with issues of body schema and the experience of the self. Patients may have to reevaluate how they envision the boundaries and nature of the body, and a prosthesis can impact this sense of embodiment dramatically. Some patients welcome a prosthesis as the return of a missing piece, while others resent it as an intruder. Professionals should understand that both reactions are parts of a crucial period of adjustment.

Patients may also adjust to limb loss differently based on age and existing abilities. These differences affect not only patients’ ability to physically adjust but also their ability to develop a new body image.

Regardless of the individual patient's demographic, the process takes time. Prosthetists and other professionals must have patience and relate to the patient with empathy at each stage of mental and physical rehabilitation.