Advances in Upper Extremity Prosthetic Technology: Rehabilitation and the Interprofessional Team

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this paper is to explore current trends and advancements that lead to improved practitioner knowledge and patient care resulting in better outcomes. It is common for the physiatrist to lead the team of interprofessional practitioners in the care of individuals with upper limb absence. The focus of the care is to understand and access prosthetic options, but there are often other health factors and relevant issues to consider. RECENT FINDINGS: Some of the latest updates offer solutions to pain management, prosthetic control, access to relevant evidence, and outcomes-related data. An interesting finding was the influence of telehealth service delivery on multiple issues faced by this population. These issues include lack of information, pain management, monitoring skin breakdown and peripheral vascular disease, prosthetic training, and access to peers and specialized practitioners. SUMMARY: The diverse technology advancements in surgical techniques, materials, outcome measures, and data management, as well as telehealth, work together to assist the collaborative interprofessional team to provide contemporary and comprehensive care to this unique population.