Stability and Falls Evaluations in AMPutees (SAFE-AMP 1): Microprocessor knee technology reduces odds of incurring an injurious fall for individuals with diabetic/dysvascular amputation

Individuals with lower limb amputation have a high incidence of falls. Above-the-knee amputation and diabetes/vascular disease are both risk factors for falls. Microprocessor knee (MPK) technology may reduce falls in this population. The objective was to determine the association between MPKs and reduced injurious falls. A retrospective analysis of injurious falls within a large, national outcomes database was conducted. Inclusion was limited to adult K3 ambulators with unilateral, transfemoral, or knee disarticulation amputation due to diabetes/vascular disease. There were 744 out of 881 individuals that did not receive an MPK. Results showed that 16.3% of non-MPK users experienced an injurious fall compared to 7.3% of MPK users (p = .007). Not having an MPK resulted in significantly increased odds (unadjusted: OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.26-4.83, p = .009; adjusted for confounders: OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.28-4.94, p = .007) of incurring an injurious fall over a 6-month period. In conclusion, the current study found use of an MPK strongly associated with reduced injurious falls in a population of patients with amputation due to diabetes/vascular disease. The findings strongly support the use of MPK technology to mitigate fall risk, and in particular injurious falls requiring medical intervention.