A large body of literature has been devoted to gait analysis in amputees. Most studies have been conducted in the laboratory setting where numerous variables are analyzed: gait efficiency, energy cost, walking velocity. At the present time however, data are lacking on the real-life use of walking prostheses. Little is known about how long patients wear their prosthesis or how difficult it is for them to walk during different periods of the day. Currently, such information depends on the quality of the interview and the patient-physician relationship. A precise assessment of walking activity in amputees and use of prostheses would be a valuable source of information for therapists and would provide complimentary information to that collected from laboratory gait analysis. The purpose of this study was to study walking activity in home-dwelling prosthesis-bearing lower-limb amputees and to determine variables affecting walking performance. To our knowledge, this is the first published study on this topic.