Very Problematic Prosthetic Fitting

[oph]

Hello,

I am looking for help or advice for a friend of mine who is a single-leg high-above-the-knee amputee in his 60's and has been so for 30 years.

The problem is that he is constantly having trouble with his prosthetic fittings. He has to travel about 4 hours to meet with his prosthetist, and if there is any slight fluctuation in his weight, this causes a change to his "stump" (as he calls is), which then causes major problems with his fitting. This then requires him going home and waiting for the prosthetist to make a new top for his prosthetic leg which then takes time to get used to. This cycle happens every couple of months and can have him in discomfort for long periods of time while waiting for the new fittings to be ready.

The method he uses is a sock around his stump which then goes into the prosthetic leg which has extra or less padding depending on the fitting. I am surprised that there is nothing more state of the art than this that can adjust for weight fluctuations etc.

Can anyone advise if this is normal. Should he look for a new prosthetist or is there any novel approches out there that we don't know about yet.

Thanks.

[anne57]

I have been an amputee for over 25 years and carry a lot of weight around with me....and am also female which causes a lot of fluid retention at times. If your friend is getting a really good fit when prosthesist delivers prosthesis, he should be ok within a 10-20 lb. range...also what type of leg is he wearing ...elevated vacuum system....pin system...ems...all of these systems still give you that 10-20 lbs..... elevated vacuum would probably be the best for your friend...vacuum tends to keep extra fluids at bay...pin system is cheaper and easier for some to put on but I have worn elevated vacuum (after wearing pin system for short time) for about 22 years and it is the ticket for me...this big girl is on the move most days!!! If he has Several legs at different sizes and is just going up and down... some of his older sockets should work. If he just continues to put on weight...maybe it is time to get that under control...extra weight is our enemy.

[humantechpando]

Jul 10, 2017 8:33:19 GMT -7 oph said:

Hello,

I am looking for help or advice for a friend of mine who is a single-leg high-above-the-knee amputee in his 60's and has been so for 30 years.

The problem is that he is constantly having trouble with his prosthetic fittings. He has to travel about 4 hours to meet with his prosthetist, and if there is any slight fluctuation in his weight, this causes a change to his "stump" (as he calls is), which then causes major problems with his fitting. This then requires him going home and waiting for the prosthetist to make a new top for his prosthetic leg which then takes time to get used to. This cycle happens every couple of months and can have him in discomfort for long periods of time while waiting for the new fittings to be ready.

The method he uses is a sock around his stump which then goes into the prosthetic leg which has extra or less padding depending on the fitting. I am surprised that there is nothing more state of the art than this that can adjust for weight fluctuations etc.

Can anyone advise if this is normal. Should he look for a new prosthetist or is there any novel approches out there that we don't know about yet.

Thanks.

[humantechpando]

Hi Anne,
i can understand your problem because i went through a similar situation sometime back. Right fit and comfort are two major issues with prosthetic limbs. Some companies have got the latest processes but still you find the limb does not fit you properly after initial few days. In fact, i found Human Technology to be a very good prosthetic company as they not only have got the expertise in artificial limbs but also provide excellent after sale support to ensure that the limb fits you well and provide you with a comfortable and active time. i highly recommend them and would ask you to try their services once to know the difference.