Effects of exercise on the physical fitness and functionality of people with amputations: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Study design: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite existing scientific evidence alluding to the positive effects of physical exercise on people with amputations, there is a lack of consistency between the results of past studies.

Objective: To identify if people with amputations taking part in an exercise training programme can benefit from improvements in their health status as measured by changes in their physiological fitness and functionality levels.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were performed after searching within several databases up to October 2019.

Results: Ten RCTs with satisfactory methodological quality were found. Five RCTs were pooled in the meta-analysis. Exercise programmes with a combination of activities were most commonly delivered. Exercise had positive effects on aerobic and muscular fitness parameters. Findings from the meta-analysis indicated that exercise improved distance walked but did not have a significant impact on functional mobility or self-reported functional capacity.

Conclusion: Combined exercise of muscular endurance and functional physical exercise appear to have greater positive effects on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and functionality levels in adult prosthesis users with unilateral lower limb amputation. Future studies should include different profiles of patients with amputations that are poorly represented in the current scientific literature.

Keywords: Amputees; Exercise; Fitness; Functionality; Review.