Taxonomy of Rehabilitation Exercise Protocols for Patients with Upper-limb Amputation Using a Myoelectric Prosthesis: A Scoping Review

Background: Upper limb amputation involves significant loss of functionality and major repercussions on patients’ quality of life. Currently, various types of prostheses are used to compensate for the lost function, including myoelectric prostheses. Objectives: This review aims to report on rehabilitation programs related to the training and use of upper limb myoelectric prostheses. Study Design: A scoping review method: We used the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines to conduct this scoping review. No restrictions regarding study design or date range were applied to encompass a wide range of information reporting on the content of rehabilitation exercise protocols and their effects on learning myoelectric control. We searched the MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, and PEDro databases. Results: Among 105 initial citations, 20 studies were selected for this review. Most studies were conducted in Europe and North America. One hundred and six participants, mostly male, had upper limb amputations, mainly transradial and transhumeral, with a mean age of 43.4 years. The three most represented training principles were movement repetitions (95%), gradual progression (85%), and functional training (80%). Three additional principles, each present in 75% of studies and more specific to myoelectric rehabilitation, were equally represented: external visual feedback, pre-prosthetic training, and distinct and coherent muscle contraction. Training frequency ranged from single to daily sessions, duration from 10 to 480 minutes, and program length from a single day to 15 months. Conclusions: Despite methodological heterogeneity, these recurring training principles consistently underpin motor skill acquisition and functional neural adaptation. Although rarely grounded in a formal motor learning model, their conceptual coherence with established theory supports the development of standardized, theory-driven rehabilitation frameworks. Clinical relevance statement: By identifying the training principles most consistently applied in current practice, this review offers clinicians an evidence-based starting point for structuring myoelectric prosthesis training programs.