Abstract
Calculations of sample size indicated that 21 patients per group would be needed to show a reliable difference at the 5% level of significance. The participants were 93 consecutive patients who had been referred to the prosthetic rehabilitation clinic and were aged 34-91 (mean 65) years; 54 were men. Time since amputation was 1-58 (9.7) years. Sixty patients had had a leg amputated for vascular illness, including diabetes, 10 of them losing both legs. Twenty four patients had lost a leg and nine an arm because of trauma. RSH obtained a clinical history including information about previous and concurrent medical and psychiatric problems. Phantom pain was assessed with the short form McGill pain questionnaire,4 the patients endorsing all words describing their phantom pain, if present. KF, who was blind to the pain report, then assessed them with the hospital anxiety and depression scale.5

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