Elevation of the residual limb should be managed how?

• A. Elevate the residual limb for hours at a time
• B. Never elevate the residual limb
• C. Elevation is not a consideration
• D. Elevation of the residual limb should be limited to a few minutes

Answer: (D)

Elevation helps manage swelling around the residual limb, which is important for shaping and future prosthetic fitting. But keeping the limb elevated for long periods encourages changes in soft tissues that can lead to knee or hip flexion contractures and stiffness, making it harder to straighten the limb and move safely in a prosthesis. By applying elevation only for brief, intermittent periods, you reduce edema when needed without promoting contractures or ROM loss. In practice, use short elevation sessions (a few minutes at a time) as directed, and focus on keeping the knee in a neutral or extended position when elevating.