Limb Loss
Limb loss and amputation are often used interchangeably and are the general terms used for individuals who are missing all or part of a limb. Limb loss can be acquired, for instance, if it occurs following traumatic injury, infection, illness, or it can be congenital, meaning it occurred at birth.
Please note that some individuals born with all or a part of their limb missing do not identify with the “amputee” label since they never had the limb to lose. In these cases, stating individuals with a limb deficiency is a more accurate and appropriate way to address this population.
For the purposes of this website, the term limb loss is used most often and intended to include both individuals who undergo amputations and individuals who are born with a limb deficiency.
The Amputee Coalition (2008) defines an amputation as:
“The cutting off of a limb or part of a limb."
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John Hopkins (n.d.) defines an amputation as:
“An acquired condition that results in the loss of a limb, usually from injury, disease, or surgery.”
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The OT Practice Experts (n.d.) define amputation as:
“The removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as a hand, foot, leg, arm, finger, or toe.”
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Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defines amputation as:
“To remove by or as if by cutting, especially to cut (a part, such as a limb) from the body."
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Shriners Hospital for Children (n.d.) explains:
"The term "limb deficiency" is broad, covering everything from congenital limb irregularities and dwarfism to limb issues that result from a serious injury." “Limb deficiency occurs when part or all of the limb does not completely form during pregnancy, resulting in asymmetry of the limbs.”
REFERENCES
Amputee Coalition. (2008). Fact sheet: Limb loss definitions. https://www.amputee-coalition.org/resources/limb-loss-definitions/
John Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.) Amputation. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/amputation
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Amputate. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amputate
The OT Practice Experts in Therapy. (n.d.) Amputations. https://www.theotpractice.co.uk/how-we-help/conditions/amputations
Shriners Hospital for Children. (n.d.). Congenital Limb Deficiencies and Amputations. https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc/limb-deficiency-amputation