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Introduction: Understanding repair patterns of upper-limb (UL) prosthetic devices have received little attention compared with their lower-limb counterparts. This study focuses on a retrospective analysis of anonymized UL prosthetic maintenance data to establish if there were any patterns of repairs at a regional prosthetic limb-fitting center in the United Kingdom. A secondary aim of this study is to describe the patient demographics of this center. Methods: Data containing prosthetic repair log and demographic description (n = 212) were acquired through our clinical partners and subjected to statistical analyses. Results: On average, each client visited the center 0.2 times/year for a new device and 0.9 times/year for maintenance-related activities. It is found that the repair rates are generally higher for body-powered devices (1.28 visits/device per year) compared with passive (0.94 visits/device per year) and externally powered devices (0.90 visits/device per year). In keeping with the typical UK UL-deficient population, there is a high male-to-female ratio, and higher instances of traumatic amputations were noticed for males at the center. There is a very high preponderance of congenital cases and an overall emphasis on prescribing passive devices to a majority of patients at the center. Conclusions: The data from our study are similar to previously published data from other centers and show a consistent pattern in terms of relative rates of maintenance attendances for different types of UL prostheses. Clinical Relevance: This study provides a longitudinal perspective and insights on ever-changing requirements (prostheses and related care) of the users at the level of a regional limb-fitting center. This study underscores current gaps in prosthetic device durability/reliability and opens up avenues for improvement of prosthetic services and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rehabilitative care for children with limb difference often includes the provision and use of an artificial (or prosthetic) limb. Of key influence in this process is how parents experience and respond to their child's limb difference and prosthesis use. However, research on this is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of parenting a child with limb difference who had been provided with an artificial limb. Design: Semi-structured interviews took place with seven parents. Interview data was recorded, transcribed and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: The analysis identified four themes: (1) managing the initial emotional experience through the development of coping resources; (2) opportunities through prosthesis use and its relationship with "normality"; (3) managing and making sense of social reactions toward their child; (4) the intrinsic role of support: developing a collective connection and enabling shared knowledge. Conclusions: The study highlighted salient aspects to parents' experiences and sense-making that can inform clinical support. Emotional support, the management of social responses, and the holistic co-ordination of healthcare support with peer support networks are discussed. Healthcare professionals involved in the prosthetic rehabilitation process should look to explore these meanings to help support the management of the child's prosthesis use. Understanding the sense-making of parents is important in effective service provision for children with limb difference. Service provision for children with limb difference should consider the support needs of parents. Working with limb difference charities and voluntary organizations could help services develop needed parent-to-parent support networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: While tennis playing results in large bone strength benefits in the racquet arm of young players, the effects of tennis playing in old players have not been investigated. Large side asymmetries in bone strength were found in veteran players, which were more pronounced in men, younger players and childhood starters. Introduction: Regular tennis results in large racquet arm bone and muscle strength advantages; however, these effects have not been studied in old players. The non-racquet arm can act as an internal control for the exercising racquet arm without confounding factors, e.g. genotype. Therefore, veteran tennis player side asymmetries were examined to investigate age, sex and starting age effects on bone exercise benefits. Methods: Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans were taken at the radius, ulna and humerus mid-shaft and distal radius in both arms of 88 tennis players (51 males, 37 females; mean age 63.8 ± 11.8 years). Thirty-two players began playing in adulthood, thereby termed 'old starters'; players were otherwise termed 'young starters'. Results: Muscle size and bone strength were greater in the racquet arm; notably, distal radius bone mineral content (BMC) was 13 ± 10 % higher and humeral bone area 23 ± 12 % larger (both P < 0.001). Epiphyseal BMC asymmetry was not affected by age ( P = 0.863) or sex ( P = 0.954), but diaphyseal asymmetries were less pronounced in older players and women, particularly in the humerus where BMC, area and moment of resistance asymmetries were 28-34 % less in women ( P < 0.01). Bone area and periosteal circumference asymmetries were smaller in old starters (all P < 0.01); most notably, no distal radius asymmetry was found in this group (0.4 ± 3.4 %). Conclusions: Tennis participation is associated with large side asymmetries in muscle and bone strength in old age. Larger relative side asymmetries in men, younger players and young starters suggest a greater potential for exercise benefits to bone in these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]