Leg Prosthesis Maintenance

A leg prosthesis is the orthopedic name for an artificial leg. As the name suggests, it is given to people who lose their leg(s) due to surgical amputation. People may also need a leg prosthesis when they lose their otherwise healthy leg in an accident. Apart from the place of amputation, which may be done either at the foot ankle, knee or thigh, other factors that go into determining the kind of prosthesis required include the person's weight and height.

Parts of Prothesis

• All prostheses have several parts in common including the socket that connects the prosthesis to the remaining part of the leg and the foot. This becomes part of the natural limb that it replaces. There is also a pylon, which is a pipe that acts as a stump within the prosthesis to give it the strength required to hold your body weight. Each of these parts requires some degree of maintenance in order to keep the prosthesis functioning properly.

Care and Maintenance

• Once the wound has healed totally and you are ready to use the prosthesis, the first aspect of care is learning to wear it properly. If the prosthesis is not worn properly, skin complications can arise. Your doctor will show you how to put on your prosthesis, as this differs for each person. In every case, your stumps need to be checked regularly to see if they are causing soreness, redness, tenderness or skin blisters. Cleaning the inside of the socket is also an important part of taking care of the prosthesis. A disinfectant should be sprayed or applied first, after which the prosthesis should be mopped using a damp cloth. Wearing a wet prosthesis should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, the prosthesis should be worn for as much time as your doctor advises. In the initial months, it should be worn at all times of the day, and you should stop wearing it temporarily only if it hurts. Since the size of your leg changes over time, socks are usually given to expand the width of the legs to fit the socket. Wearing the right socks is another important aspect of prosthetic care.

Importance of Prothesis Care

• Care of the prosthesis is very important, as without proper care, the prosthesis not only becomes ineffective; but expensive too, as it can require frequent repairs and replacement. An improperly cared for prosthesis can result in the exertion of unbalanced pressure on the two legs. This can lead to the normal leg having to carry extra weight, which could lead to problems. Another problem some people face is that the skin can develop infections, in many cases necessitating that you undergo another amputation.

  On the other hand, with proper care, the prosthesis can almost totally eliminate the handicaps associated with a lost leg. It is not uncommon to find people with prosthetics engaging in active lifestyle and sports such as running, cycling, climbing and swimming.