Which finding would most likely indicate a transfemoral prosthesis is too long during gait?

• A. Lateral trunk bending to the prosthetic side
• B. Circumduction of the prosthetic limb
• C. High medial wall
• D. Trendelenburg gait

Answer: (B)

When a transfemoral prosthesis is too long, the limb has trouble achieving sufficient toe clearance during the swing phase. The knee and foot can’t flex and clear the ground as usual, so the person compensates by swinging the prosthetic limb outward in a circular arc. This outward, curved swing is called circumduction, and it directly addresses the clearance problem caused by excess length.

Other described patterns relate to socket fit, abductor weakness, or pelvic control rather than length, so they’re not the primary compensation for a prosthesis that’s too long.