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Services
| You and Your New Prosthesis |
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Below Knee Endoskeletal Prosthesis |
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| Prosthesis: (pras'thesis) an artificial substitute for a missing part of the body. | |
Our goal is to help you function to the best of your ability with a prosthesis that is as effective, durable and as comfortable as possible. • Caring for your residual limb The more you know about the rehabilitation process and your prosthesis, the more successful you will be with your new prosthesis. Remember to ask questions, Union Orthotics & Prosthetics Co. is here to help you. |
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| Caring for Your Residual Limb The earlier a prosthesis is fitted, the better. One of the most difficult problems facing a new amputee is edema, or swelling of the residual limb. The care you give your residual limb initially will directly affect your success with your new prosthesis. To help reduce swelling in your residual limb, new amputees wear an elastic bandage or shrinker sock. Your residual limb will atrophy and shrink with time, and wearing the shrinker sock or wrapping your residual limb according to the instructions you were given, will help to shrink the limb as much as possible. This will allow for a more accurate fitting of your prosthesis. Wear your elastic bandage or shrinker sock 24 hours a day, except when exercising, until you receive your new prosthesis. Proper hygiene is essential. Wash your limb thoroughly with soap and water every day, unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise. Preparing for Your New Prosthesis Physical therapy to regain strength and agility is an important step in your preparation to use your new prosthesis. You may have had some therapy while you were in the hospital, and chances are your doctor will want you to continue with it, both now and after you receive your new prosthesis. The strength you develop now will help you to walk as normally as possible in the future. Your New Prosthesis Your Union O&P prosthetist will work with you, your physician and/or physical therapist to design a prosthesis that’s right for you. Our goal is a prosthesis as close to a natural limb as possible in appearance and function. We use high strength, lightweight materials which will be designed to match your real leg in size, shape, and even skin tone. Your prosthetic foot will be responsive enough to provide motion for a natural-looking gait. |
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| Your First Fitting Your prosthesis is custom made especially for you. Detailed measurements will be taken at your first fitting. The socket for your new prosthesis is made from these measurements. The emphasis at the first fitting will be on you and your lifestyle taking into consideration your activities of daily living, your work, your physical size and agility. Your prosthetist will assess your functional ability and design a prosthesis optimally suited for you at this point in time. |
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| Alignment Fittings Your prosthetist will spend a lot of time working with you during this fitting to make sure your prosthesis is adjusted perfectly to your needs and comfort. The alignment fitting will take into account every aspect of your prosthesis’ fit and function. |
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Is your residual limb properly positioned in the socket of your prosthesis? Does each component of your prosthesis line up properly? |
| During this fitting, and for a while after you receive your prosthesis, it will feel heavy and awkward, and may seem a bit too long. Don’t worry, these feelings are normal and will diminish as you become more comfortable walking with your new prosthesis. Bring along a few pairs of shoes with heel heights you like that are comfortable to your first fitting. Your prosthesis can be designed to accommodate any kind of shoe, athletic, casual, work, or dress. Most people are best served by a standard, oxford style shoe with a “ heel height of 3/8 inch to 1 1/4 inch.” The effective heel height is measured by subtracting the height of the sole at the ball of your foot from the heel height. Athletic or ‘walking’ shoes are increasingly popular and are easily accommodated. It is very important that all shoes used with your prosthesis have the same “effective heel height”. Always wearing the same heel height is a small restriction. Your prosthetist will help you choose the heel height best suited for your activities, and fabricate your prosthesis to work in conjunction with this heel height. | |
| Gait Training It is important that you learn to walk properly with your new prosthesis from the day you receive it. Your physical therapist will work with you and make recommendations regarding any additional support you may need to walk your best - such as a walker, crutches, or a cane. With your therapist’s help, you will soon be accomplishing many of your daily activities. We will be counting on you to call us whenever you have any questions about the fit, alignment, or general performance of your prosthesis. We are members of your team, and want to help you do your best now and in the future. |
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| Adjustments Most new amputees experience atrophy and shrinking of the residual limb. This is perfectly natural, it does affect the fit of your prosthesis. You can make adjustments by using prosthetic socks of varying plys and thicknesses. Prosthetic socks come in varying thicknesses (1 ply, 3 ply, or 5 ply). If your prosthesis feels tight with one sock, try a thinner sock. If it feels too loose, try a thicker sock or wear two or more socks at the same time. Experiment until you feel comfortable. Remember to wear a clean sock each day, and continue to wash your residual limb daily as well. If you find that changing your socks does not comfortably adjust the fit of your prosthesis, make an appointment to see us and we will modify the socket of your prosthesis appropriately. |
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Above Knee Endoskeletal Prosthesis |
Suggested Heel Height
Suggested heel height of 3/8 inch. However, it is possible to accommodate up to 1 1/4 inch heel height.  |