Ideas Please

[ann-]

Ok, I am a bilateral below knee and over the last few years have had enormous problems getting my prosthetics made, particularly with regards to equal lengths. About eighteen months ago I had a new prosthesis made and I noticed I wasn't walking that well, I also developed a pain on that side of my back. I got it checked and asked for some physio, however, physio told me it was a prosthetic problem and it was left at that.

During the last year I had about three or four attempts at making the prostheses and each one fitted me differently and caused a different set of problems. I finally received some that were relatively comfortable to wear early this year, only now to find the back pain on this side has increased and it has been picked up I am not walking properly ... though they don't seem to know why .... what I am being told is that they are correct in lengths, though this doesn't feel the case to me. The prosthesis on the side which seems to be causing the problems looks shorter, though 'feels' longer when I walk in it. My other side feels shorter, though the prosthesis 'looks' longer. I am guessing that I am 'hitching' on the problem side, yet not doing this consciously and can't seem to find any way of correcting it when I walk, if this is what I am doing.

So any ideas on this would be welcome.

[cherylm]

Well....that's the first time I've heard you describe the problem that way, Ann...and I'm sorry to hear that it's still going on! My latest question: has anyone looked closely at how your legs are aligned "sideways?" I know that, in my case, I can develop all sorts of pain, balance problems, and feelings of unevenness if I've lost volume at the top of my prosthesis. It literally allows me to go bowlegged on the prosthetic side, which is enough to make it feel like that leg is suddenly shorter, even though there has been no change in length.........

I just feel determined to try to "solve" your prostheses problems, without ever actually seeing you or your prosthetic legs, and without being bilateral myself................weird, eh?

Anyway, think about the "side-to-side" movement and see if that makes any sense to you...I guess it couldn't hurt!

[ann-]

ah thank you for your interest Cheryl ... it must seem like I have endless problems, but my socket fit problems have been 'kind of sorted' but in the interim, which is going into a couple of years now, where I have been trying to get the sockets right, I seem to have developed some problem with my back/sacral area which has also been building up and once again having to push to get it addressed.

What you say though Cheryl, kind of does make sense about looking at the legs 'sideways', because they tend to look from the front and from the back, I am not sure about from the side. And, though I said the sockets were ok, they have been much improved since discovering 'liners', and whilst they are not causing problems currently, they are a bit big round the top and I often have to put extra half socks on. At my most recent appointment, the alignment was slightly changed and the prostheses did feel more equal and balanced. But I have another appointment soon and will talk to them about the 'side to side' movement.

Many thanks.

[ann-]

Quick update, for anyone that's interested. The back problems have been better and not so much aggravated by walking. An MRI scan revealed a couple of discs compressed, but apart from that everything was pretty good and have been given some exercises to try and reverse this. In the meantime I have been made some water legs and had several sessions, so far, of hydrotherapy, which is amazing and it is absolutely wonderful to be actually able to walk into water again, after all these years. I am also having a new pair of everyday prostheses made and I am hoping these will fit me a lot tighter than the present ones, though am pinning my hopes on some gait lab analysis I am going to have next month, fingers crossed this will pick up on what I am doing or not doing when walking.

[cherylm]

Still interested, Ann, so thanks for the update! I'm glad to hear that you've had some positive developments, and I hope they can get the rest sorted soon........