5 GREAT IMPROVEMENTS TO UPPER EXTREMITIES PROSTHETICS
As it is the case with many other things in life, technological advances in the prothesis world is quickly eliminating the old fears of prosthetic failures. State of the art biometrically engineered prosthetics are becoming highly effective options to amputees in need of independence and functionality. You don’t have to feel alone or powerless anymore. Here is a list of old challenges with new solutions:
- Technological. This may have been the cause of great limitations in the past, but current prosthesis users find themselves enjoying natural like movements with amazing precision. As the biometrics and robotics industries grows, amputees are benefited when it comes to both the comfort you experience while wearing your prosthesis, as well as the functionality of it all. Maintaining a great relationship of collaboration with your prosthetic provider will help to continually transition to the best options available in the market.
- Design. Customization is probably the single most important element of the prosthesis “relationship” between the body and the prosthetic limb. When choosing your prosthetic limb, it is vital to reach a design agreement with your provider, that will meet your physical functionality needs, as well as the amount of comfort necessary to function throughout the day. Research and find in your area a prosthesis clinic with a good friendly customer service reputation, as well as a reputation of providing a range of options when choosing the prosthesis best for you.
- Fitting. We all have childhood memories of going shoe shopping with a parent and being forced to embarrassingly walk up and down the store’s shoe isle with a pair of new shoes to test the proper fitting. When our parents took us shoe shopping, they understood that besides the pricing and design, a proper fitting would be fundamental to our future use of our shoes. It is quite frustrating to have multiple pairs of shoes in our closets which we refuse to wear because of poor fitting and the discomfort they cause. Such is the cause with finding the perfect fitting with a prosthesis. The prosthesis’ socket, which is the interface between the prosthetic and the human body, must be fitted with great accuracy to enhance the experience and avoid frustrations. Today’s modern prosthesis clinics such as SKY Orthotics & Prosthetics in Orlando, Florida, specialize in achieving the ideal fitting for maximum comfort and efficiency.
- True functionality. The fundamental purpose of a prosthetic limb is to regain as much independence after the amputation as possible. This independence is key to the overall satisfaction of the amputee. From basic tasks such as gripping and moving objects from point A to point B, as it is in the case of upper extremities prosthetics, to performing simple daily tasks, the functionality is the centerpiece of the experience. A wider diversity of functionality has been introduced in recent years in the Upper Extremities world with such advancements as individual finger movement for more human like prosthetic behavior. Taking the time to train to fully interact with the prosthesis can help improve results overall as well.
- Battery life. Although this was once a challenge in the past, great emphasis has been placed in the continuing development of longer lasting batteries for electrical upper extremities prosthetics. There are two basic options within the Lithium based batteries (Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer), to provide a choice between a higher energy short life use vs. lower energy longer life use. There are also built in, and removable options. The good news is that newer battery options provide greater energy density, which translate to more capacity, higher cell voltage, smaller size, and lighter weight. So, as it is the case in all the previously mentioned areas of concern, the solution seems to be in working together with your prosthesis clinic to find the best fitting option to your needs.
Amputation has never been an easy journey, and will likely never be, but new technological improvements are being made available regularly. Many of the prosthesis challenges amputees dealt with in the past are now easily resolved by finding the best option for your specific needs. Greater, and more advanced options are being made available regularly in today’s prosthesis world. A great prosthetics clinic with a knowledgeable and friendly staff can work with you to remedy these issues.
