The body in persons with an amputation

Adapt Phys Activ Q. 2009 Jul;26(3):236-58. doi: 10.1123/apaq.26.3.236.

Abstract

This study reports on a comparison of how two different groups of people with an amputation view their bodies and perceive how others view them. One group has a history of sport participation, while the other has not. The analysis is based on 14 semistructured interviews with people with amputations: 7 were engaged in sport and 7 were not. The following themes emerged: Body, Prosthesis, Independence, Huma Person, and Social Barriers. One could conclude that participation in sport influences how people with an amputation perceive their body as they live with their body in a more positive way and they better accept their new body condition and their being-in-the-world. The social barriers that people with an amputation have to face daily were evident, and one of the most significant ideas was the importance of being recognized and treated as a person and not as a person with a disability.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Amputation, Surgical / psychology*
  • Amputation, Surgical / statistics & numerical data
  • Artificial Limbs / psychology
  • Body Image*
  • Disabled Persons / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Psychological
  • Motor Activity
  • Personal Autonomy
  • Prejudice*
  • Social Perception*
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires