Abstract
There is a wide range of conditions calling for rehabilitation, from the severity of foot ulcer prevention to that of limb loss; but there are no guidelines. The content of rehabilitation differs depending on the severity of the disease, but all stages have in common the elements of physical therapy and the selection of orthotics. The thought process is, first of all, to check the general condition of the patient and evaluate the state of the foot (or local wound) and the leg function, and then, on the basis of those results, to choose a orthotics and plan a program of physical therapy. In choosing a prosthesis, the subject’s life expectancy and the prognosis for his/her leg must be taken into consideration, evaluating quantitatively whether or not the chosen orthotics is functioning as expected when it was prescribed and anticipating any adverse events that might be associated with its continuous use. Things to consider in planning a physical therapy program are any conditions that are a relative contraindication of exercise, also any systemic disease, so as to determine the appropriate amount of exercise.
