Predicting prosthetic rehabilitation outcome in lower limb amputee patients with the functional independence measure

Objective: To determine the value of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score as a prognostic indicator for prosthetic use in the lower limb amputee patient. Design: Cohort study of 41 patients with lower limb amputations. Setting: University hospital rehabilitation unit. Main Outcome Measures: FIM motor subscore and Houghton Scale for prosthetic use. Results: FIM score on admission did not correlate with prosthetic use as measured by the Houghton Scale; however, FIM motor subscore at discharge did. Conclusion: The admission FIM score is not useful in predicting successful prosthetic rehabilitation in lower extremity amputee patients. Only the motor subscore at discharge correlates with the use of prosthesis. (C) 1996 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation