What to Expect: The Months After Amputation Surgery 

Recovery after amputation progresses in stages. Below is the typical progression, but each person’s recovery may vary.   

The 6 basic stages are:

1. Preoperative Care (Before Surgery)

The goal of preoperative care is to have you as physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for an amputation as possible. Your team may include:  

• Physical and/or Occupational Therapist: Provides education on the rehabilitation process, exercises, and mobility training.  
• Chaplain:  Provides emotional and/or spiritual support.  
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician: Provides information on rehabilitation process, healing from surgery, pain management and prosthetic fitting.  Will also see you in clinic after discharge home to follow up on amputee rehabilitation
• Prosthetist Provides information on  possible orthotic/prosthetic options. 

2. Recovering in the hospital 

During this stage, the main goals are: 

• Pain control
• Understanding phantom sensations
• Taking care of and protecting your incision as it heals 
• Stretching and strengthening your muscles 
• Positioning to prevent long term muscle tightness (contracture)
• Learning to move to a chair safely
• Learning to use walking aids or a wheelchair
• Learning to manage daily living skills

3. Preparing for a prosthesis

As your incision heals, you may start to prepare for your prosthesis fitting. During this stage, the main goals are: 

• Taking care of your incision (sutures or staples may still be in) 
• Decreasing swelling (edema)
• Continuing exercises learned in the hospital 
• Moving safely at all times to prevent falls 
• Keeping all follow-up appointments 

4. Getting fitted for a prosthesis

Once your wound has healed, your health care team will work with you to see if it’s the right time for a prosthesis.  During this stage, the main goals are: 

• Daily care of your residual limb including scar massage 
• Daily use of a shrinker sock 
• Continued stretching and strengthening of muscles 

5. Learning to use a prosthesis 

During this stage, you will learn how to: 

• Put on and take off the prosthesis 
• Adjust sock liners
• Walk or move to a chair using your prosthesis
• Prevent falls 
• Care for and clean the prosthesis 
• Gradually increase the length of time the prosthesis is worn each day 
• Check skin for redness and sores

6. Returning to routine activities

When you are ready, you may resume many activities that have been part of your life. As you become more active, keep these goals in mind: 

• Continue follow up care with your health care team.
• Develop a support system of family and friends 
• Return to meaningful activities such as a job, volunteer work, or social activities 
• Practice coping techniques such as meditation and relaxation to help you deal with new challenges as they arise 

When to contact your amputation team 

During recovery, you may need to contact members of your amputation team. 

• Medical Provider: 
  • • You notice signs of infection in your healing incision.
    • You notice sores or wounds that appear on your residual limb.
    • You have frequent falls
    • You receive an injury to your limb. 
    • Issues with phantom pain management
• Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist if you have trouble moving, taking care of yourself, or doing exercises. 
• Prosthetist if your prosthesis is painful, feels loose, rubs, or pinches. 
• Social worker if you need home assistance or help with insurance. 
• Psychologist, chaplain or peer counselor if you could use more emotional support.