What is Walking School?

In the first phase of your rehabilitation you will attend the limb fitting centre (disablement service centre) where you will be fitted with your first prosthesis. During this phase you will also undergo a course of physiotherapy, which we refer to as attending walking school as this physiotherapy will be focused on teaching you to walk again using your prosthesis. Your physiotherapy will include strength building, gait training, ascending and descending stairs, stepping on and off curbs, how to get up if you fall over and will sometimes include showing you how to fall safely. If you are not shown how to fall over safely, it is worth taking the time to ask your physiotherapists to show you any techniques they are aware of.

Like death and taxes, it is a certainty that at some point during your rehabilitation or post rehabilitation you will fall over.

N.B. You may hear staff at the centre referring to you a as primary amputee during this initial phase of rehabilitation.

Primary amputee
A primary amputee is an amputee who has undergone amputation surgery for the first time and is embarking on rehabilitation. Depending on the individual’s age, level of fitness pre-amputation and pre-existing medical conditions they will become an established amputee at around two years post amputation. This can be as little as one year for a traumatic amputee who was fit and healthy prior to amputation.

Established amputee
A patient (user) is usually considered an established amputee when their stump volume is stable; they do not need regular input from rehab team any more and they can effectively carry out day to day activities. It is worth noting that some amputees will not wear artificial limbs and will be considered established once they have reached the same level of function using a wheelchair or other walking aids.