Empowering amputees to lead fulfilling lives through accessible prosthetic rehabilitation: A journey toward bridging the gap with a pro bono application

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In South Africa, persons with lower limb amputations face significant barriers to accessing prosthetic rehabilitation due to geographic, financial, and systemic constraints. mHealth applications offer a promising alternative, but evidence-based guidelines tailored to the study population are limited. OBJECTIVE: To identify evidence-based rehabilitation interventions that can inform a rehabilitation application for transtibial prosthetic users in South Africa. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design was applied in the study. METHODS: Telephonic semistructured interviews were conducted with prosthetic users (n = 8), prosthetists (n = 8), and physiotherapists (n = 10). Content data analysis was performed, and data were triangulated to identify essential rehabilitation interventions that can be included in an application. RESULTS: Findings recommended exercise interventions focusing on balance, weight-bearing, joint mobility, muscle strength, and gait retraining. Additional application features should include a rehabilitation roadmap, patient education, and access to peer support networks. CONCLUSION: An mHealth application incorporating evidence-based exercises and user-informed features can help overcome access barriers to prosthetic rehabilitation in South Africa. Such an application has the potential to enhance functional outcomes, promote self-management, and support healthcare providers in delivering consistent, quality rehabilitation.