Award Date

5-15-2026

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Committee Member

Jason Ciccotelli

Second Committee Member

Daniel Young

Third Committee Member

Kai-Yu Ho

Number of Pages

31

Abstract

Purpose: Patients with lower extremity amputations are at increased risk of falls due to decreased balance ability between amputated and sound side. The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of a reaching tool for practitioners to assess balance in an inpatient rehab facility. It was anticipated that clinicians will find the reaching device useful when administering the Functional Reach Test (FRT) in a clinical setting, given the frequent use of these assessments and the device’s demonstrated reliability.

Participants: Physical Therapists and patients at an Inpatient Rehab Facility in Henderson, Nevada

Materials/Methods: A prototype reaching tool was provided to an inpatient rehab facility in Henderson, Nevada. The tool was used by physical therapists to perform functional reach measurements in patients with lower extremity amputation. The physical therapists and patients were asked about their experience using the tool, as well as if and how they thought a tool like this could benefit their practice.

Results: Functional Reach Testing was not routinely used by clinicians to assess limits of stability in a rehabilitation setting, with only two of seven clinicians reporting occasional use. Despite its limited use, both clinicians and patients generally rated the tool as easy to use. Most clinicians (4/7) and patients (4/7) reported positive ease-of-use ratings, while a small number (3/7) expressed neutral or negative views. Additionally, over half of participants (4/7) indicated they would be likely to use the tool if it were readily available.

Conclusions: The results indicate that the reaching device is a feasible tool for assessing functional reach and balance in individuals with lower extremity amputations. Clinicians and patients reported that the device was easy to use and provided meaningful feedback, while also identifying areas for improvement in future iterations. Overall, this tool shows potential for use in clinical settings to provide objective data on patient function; however, additional research is needed to further evaluate its benefits and expand its applications within physical therapy practice.

Keywords

Lower extremity amputations; functional reach test; balance; feasibility; dynamic balance; fall risk; rehabilitation; limits of stability

Disciplines

Physical Therapy

File Format

PDF

File Size

541 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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