Be Physiology
Book Now
Be Physiology
Book Now

The Importance of Exercise in Preparing for and Rehabilitating with a Prosthetic Limb

Prosthetic Limb – An Overview

Recovery after an amputation surgery is a physically and emotionally demanding process, especially when you’re preparing for and learning to use a prosthetic device. One of the most critical components of this rehabilitation process is movement and exercise. In this blog we’ll discuss the importance of exercise, the types of exercises that are beneficial, and how allied health professionals, such as exercise physiologists, can support you through this process.

Why Exercise is Essential

Exercise is crucial whether you’re recovering from surgery, or you already have your prosthetic device. The rehabilitation process and exercises will look different for everyone, so we advise consulting with an allied health professional to help guide your recovery.

Even though this process will need to be specific to the individual, there are some core goals and exercise related objectives that applies:

Maintain Strength:

Completing strength exercises is imperative both before and after a prosthesis is fitted to maintain muscle tone and prepare the residual limb for weight tolerance of the prosthetic device. Resistance training also enhances muscle endurance for long term prosthetic wear and improves your ability to control the prosthetic device.

Resistance training with bands or light weights desensitises the residual limb to neural input and stretch response that will likely be encountered with additional weight of the prosthetic.

Strength exercises will help maintain postural and core strength/ stability to prevent pain and posture changes resulting from side-to-side weight difference. Core strengthening exercise is particularly important in lower limb amputations to prepare the body for effective and efficient walking with a prosthesis.

Building and maintaining function in the rest of the body is also important, particularly the non-amputated limb.

Improve Range of Motion (ROM):

Improving and maintaining both passive and active range of motion in your joints around the amputated limb is very important to maintain function of the limb even before a prosthetic is fitted. ROM exercises can also help reduce the risk of developing contractures after an amputation, making the prosthesis fitting process much easier.

Maintain Cardiovascular Fitness:

Improving and maintaining cardiorespiratory health not only supports overall health but is also associated with better recovery after surgery and helps your body keep up with the endurance demands of using the new prosthesis especially lower limb prosthesis.

Optimise Balance and Coordination:

Balance and coordination are key aspects of completing day to day activities and walking. Implementing balance and coordination tasks with a lower limb amputation will help you learn how to stay stable when walking, moving from sitting to standing, navigating obstacles and reduce your risk of falling. It is also important to include balance and coordination training in upper limb amputations to reduce the risk of falls and coordinate everyday movements with the prosthesis.

 The Role of Allied Health Professionals

Allied health professionals, especially exercise physiologists, play a critical role in your rehabilitation journey. They can:

  • Design Personalised Exercise Programs: Tailored to your condition adjusted for the specific type of amputation and the functional needs required to operate your prosthesis.
  • Monitor and Adjust Exercises: Ensure that you’re performing exercises correctly and safely, especially if you have an osseointegrated prosthesis, which requires caution around rotation forces.
  • Provide opportunity to use prosthesis in session: Ensure you can safely practice using your prosthesis in sessions by interacting with equipment, picking up light weights and practice multitasking with prosthesis. These are all essential to fully integrating the prosthesis into your daily life.
  • Provide Motivation and Support: Help you stay motivated and positive throughout your rehabilitation and guide you to independent exercise.

     

Book a consultation today to learn more on how we can help you!

Latest Insights

Be Physiology
Be Physiology

Walter White

Manager of good vibes
Envelope-open Phone-alt
Being active has taken on a whole new meaning and I am 100% here for it. I like to fink I’m pretty active, and I keep up de vibes during team meetings – just making sure everyone’s hands are always moving (across my butt) because I know dat any exercise is good exercise. I keep close to everyone, real close, just to keep dem on their toes when dey walk by too.
Fings are always better when I am der so if you need some good vibes, I will be der for you.
Brb just going to have a snooze.
Love and licks,
Wally

Ailish Rice

Exercise Physiologist
Envelope-open Phone-alt Icon-linkedin
I have always imagined I would go into a career that combined my passion for exercise with the opportunity to help people, and I found my perfect match in Exercise Physiology!
My role has progressed over the last few years, from coaching gymnastics, to becoming a strength and conditioning coach, and now an Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
As Be Physiology, I can apply my knowledge and skills to support clients living with neurological conditions, chronic illnesses, pain or injuries.

As both a participant and an EP, I have a keen interest in CrossFit, clinical Pilates, women’s health, and all things exercise-related! Ultimately, I am eager to support a diverse range of clients through their rehabilitation and towards their individualised goals, using movement as medicine.
Eddie Carroll

Eddie Carroll

Exercise Physiologist

Envelope-open Phone-alt

Growing up, sport and physical activity were simply a part of life and not much has changed since. These days you’ll find me in the gym, playing social volleyball, soccer, or out watching the footy. That lifelong love of movement is a big part of what drew me to Exercise Physiology, and it’s something I bring into every session.

I work primarily with neurological and neurodevelopmental populations, including NDIS participants, and I find this work genuinely rewarding. Seeing someone move better, feel more capable, or achieve a goal they weren’t sure was possible is what drives me as an exercise physiologist.

I’m not focused on a particular diagnosis; I’m focused on the person in front of me. We all have things we want to achieve, and sometimes that means overcoming daily frustrations that others might overlook. I believe in listening, then building a specific program for you.

Exercise is one of the most underutilised tools in healthcare, if you’re ready to use it, I’d like to help!

Benji Wilksch | Mobile Exercise Physiologist

Benji Wilksch

Exercise Physiologist

Envelope-open Phone-alt Icon-linkedin

Hi, I’m Benji! 

I love being able to use my passion for health, fitness, and exercise to support people in moving and feeling their best. As an Exercise Physiologist, I’m lucky to do this every day. Sport and exercise have always played a big role in my life, with interests spanning cricket, athletics, and cross‑country running. These days, you’ll often find me strength training in the gym, running distances from 5km through to marathons, or taking on the occasional HYROX event.

Outside of work, I enjoy catching up with friends over a great coffee or unwinding by playing guitar.

Before joining Be Physiology, I worked as a strength and conditioning coach and group fitness coach. Since graduating university, I’ve stepped into my role as an Exercise Physiologist and strongly believe that movement is medicine — it has the power to make a real difference for a lot of people. I have a particular interest in neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, but ultimately, I’m passionate about helping anyone improve their confidence, function, and quality of life. I’m excited for what the future holds at Be Physiology.

Brittney White

Co-founder / Operations manager
Envelope-open Phone-alt Icon-linkedin
I’m NOT an exercise physiologist, but I do take my hat off to my team and get to admire the work they do each and every day. Be Physiology means that we’re able to apply our passion, and our experience, to make exercise physiology more accessible to the people who need it the most.
You might hear the team describe me as ‘the person who does everything else’, and that can be translated to ‘marketing and operations’. My background is marketing and business, which I’ve lived and breathed since 2011. I’ve worked in both the agency and corporate spaces, across many industries, with many amazing people and now with Be Physiology, I get to explore the health industry further and continue to meet the most incredible people who are the ones to define motivation.
If you’ve met Harry and our amazing exercise physiologists, you’d know that they don’t really need marketing – they’re genuine, have ridiculous amounts of charisma, knowledgeable, and extremely passionate about helping people to be a better version of themselves. But, sometimes getting an introduction is the hardest part and that’s where I come in.
If you want to chat, a coffee, a laugh, I’m always here to make one or all of them happen.
So call me and let’s keep sharing the love!

Harry White

Co-founder / supervisor
Envelope-open Phone-alt Icon-linkedin
The longer you work as an Exercise Physiologist (EP), the more you understand just how amazing exercise is for everyone, without exception. You also get to meet and work with people who have completely changed their lives through their own consistency and determination, this is when you realise that this is more than a job. It saves lives.
My expertise is spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders and helping clients to achieve an improved quality of life through rehabilitation and functional training. Rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders can be slow but incredibly rewarding for clients when results are achieved, no matter how small. Assisting people through learning useful skills and functional training is the most important role that an EP can play to help people lead a more fulfilled life.
My perspective is different now to when I started, now when I see all the EPs graduating every year and getting excited knowing that they too will get the opportunity to be a part of something special.
Our team is full of people that want to be amazing EPs and who are striving to be the best, there is no better culture than that!
Be Physiology
Enquire Now