Movement disorders developing in the stump after limb amputation are well described.¹ These movements are varied, consisting of jerking, tremulousness or spasms of the stump, and are often associated with severe stump pain.¹ The so-called “jumpy stump” is used as one example to support the concept that peripheral injury can induce movement disorders.² In our experience, the widespread acceptance of this concept, with little direct scientific evidence to support it, often results in the uncritical application of a diagnosis of a peripheral trauma-induced movement disorder without a careful analysis of other diagnostic possibilities, including that of a psychogenic movement disorder. To further emphasise this possibility, we report a case of a psychogenic jumpy stump.

Case report

A 42-year-old man was assessed for management of pain and painful involuntary movements of his left stump, which developed after a below-knee amputation in 1995. The patient had previously undergone nine surgical procedures to correct bone exostosis of the left foot, in the hope of achieving pain relief. One and a half years after the below-knee amputation, he developed severe stump pain. A few years later, intermittent episodes of violent jerking movements of the left stump began, which progressed to 18–20 spells a day. These could occur at rest or with voluntary movement, and could be triggered and improved …