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Final Program


Final Congress Guide

Clinical Sciences/Health Conditions

400 Section - Rehabilitation outcomes among Indigenous Peoples who have undergone limb amputation in Canada: A Scoping Review

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

    Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • CF

    Courtney Frengopoulos, MD

    Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    McMaster University
    Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    • Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • AA

    Aaida Ali, n/a

    Student
    University of Western Ontario
    London, Ontario, Canada

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • LC

    Lauren Cormier, MD

    Consultant Physiatrist
    University of Western Ontario
    London, Ontario, Canada

    • Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • MP

    Michael WC Payne, MD

    Associate Professor; Medical Director, Amputee Rehabilitation Program; Associate Research Director
    Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario
    London, Ontario, Canada

Objectives :

 Indigenous peoples in Canada experience disproportionately high rates of diabetes and diabetes-related complications, including lower-extremity amputation (LEA). Although the epidemiology of LEA in these populations is well described, far less is known about rehabilitation outcomes, prosthetic use, or post-amputation challenges faced by Indigenous people. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing equitable and culturally safe rehabilitation pathways. The objective of this study was to describe the rehabilitation and prosthetic-related outcomes for rehabilitation in Indigenous peoples of Canada who have undergone LEA, and identify the challenges related to rehabilitation access and prosthetic fitting.

Design: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from inception through June 18, 2025 for this scoping review. Studies were included if they reported rehabilitation outcomes following amputation for Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Results:

There were 200 articles identified in the search, 25 underwent full-text review and four were included in the final review. Across these studies, 42 Indigenous participants were confirmed to have undergone LEA. Most amputations were unilateral transtibial, with diabetes and vascular disease being common etiologies. Participants were generally between 45 and 70 years of age. Functional outcomes varied: some achieved independent mobility, while others reported falls, gait-aid dependence, and limitations in daily activities. Compared to non-Indigenous participants, Indigenous individuals had similar frequency of prosthesis use but faced greater barriers, including socioeconomic disadvantage, shorter rehabilitation, geographic isolation, and limited access to follow-up services.

Conclusion:

Evidence describing prosthetic rehabilitation outcomes for Indigenous peoples in Canada is scarce, highlighting both meaningful functional gains and significant systemic barriers. Further community-led, culturally grounded research is urgently needed.