ACCESSING SPORTAND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

If you are working hard, either takingpart in sport, an active leisure activityor kicking a ball around with the kids,it is essential to take extra care toavoid your stump getting sore.

Make sure that you have adequatesuspension. You may need that bit extra tostop the socket from rubbing or just to giveyou confidence that your leg will not fall off!

If you work out really hard, you will besurprised how much your stump can shrink,even if it has been stable for years. Takeplenty of spare socks in your kit bag, to addif you need to. If you do shrink, your stumpcan then react by swelling up once you takeyour prosthesis off; so take a compressionsock as well, to put on after you showeruntil you are ready to put your leg back on.

Save your newest and best socks forsport. Think of the pounding your stumpwill get on the court, pitch or track – itneeds all the protection it can get.

If you get really sweaty, have enoughsocks to change into fresh, dry oneswhen you need to; that might be beforeyou have finished. If you sweat and shrink,be prepared to add socks while youare playing.

Still sweaty? There are variouspreparations you can use to reduce thesweating. Unscented liquid talc is effectivebut difficult to find. The scent in anythingyou use could set off a skin reaction soavoid anything perfumed. Dri-Clor,Anhydrous Forte and Mitchum anti-perspirant contain aluminium chloride whichactually stops the skin sweating; they workwell but must be used with caution. Youcan get them in your High Street chemist –not cheap, but they do the trick. UsingHibiscrub as a skin wash may reduce

sweating as well as keeping the skin cleanand avoiding infection. It is available fromchemists or ask your GP. Patch test all ofthese first to make sure that they do notcause a skin reaction.

You may want to try nappy liners. Yes,unperfumed nappy liners carefully wrappedaround your stump so that they do notbunch up and cause pressure and irritation.The moisture moves from your skin to theother side of the nappy liner and keeps theskin dry.

Take a blister kit, also available from yourchemist, just in case the other precautionshave not worked. If you get a sore/blisterrepeatedly in the same place, go and seeyour prosthetist. A slight adjustment maymake all the difference.

Be prepared to fall over. You might notever fall over but fear of falling could stopyou achieving your best. If you can, try toland on your forearm, not your outstretchedhand and then roll to the side.

Finally, warm, up properly. Yes I knowthat I am nagging but no-one ever does!A proper warm up and stretch will preventinjuries. Because you are an amputee, youwill need to stretch your trunk side flexorsspecifically, whether you have an upperor lower limb amputation. Stand with yourfeet apart, raise your arm on the amputatedside over your head, put your otherhand on your hip and lean over to thenon-amputated side. You should feel areally nice opening up sensation from yourshoulder to your hip. Don’t forget the otherstretches for the rest of your body; arms,trunk and legs.

Contact your DSC physio or yourprosthetist if you have any problems.Enjoy your sport!

Practical tips was Written by PennyBroomhead, Clinical PhysiotherapySpecialist in Amputee and ProstheticRehabilitation, May 2012

Created by LimbPower October 2015Registered Charity No 1132829www.limbpower.com

LimbPower exists to engage amputees and individuals with limb impairments in regular and sustained participation in physical activity, sport and thearts to improve quality of life and to aid physical, social and psychological rehabilitation. To find out more about how we can help you, visit our website.LimbPower is a Limited Company No. 09513024 Charity No 1132829

LimbPower, Whitecroft, Tandridge Lane, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6LL T: 07503 030702 E: andy@limbpower.com W: www.limbpower.com

Practical Tips

These fact sheets are supported bySport England’s Inclusive Sport Fund