How Does an Artificial Leg Work?

Modern technology allows people who have lost limbs to regain normal functions through use of artificial limbs or prosthetics. Patients have multiple options that allow them to walk, climb steps and run as well as before their injury.

Types

• Depending on where the knee was cut off, amputees receive different kinds of prosthetics. A below-the-knee amputee gets a socket for the stump and a shank, shin and foot attachment. The sockets transfer the weight of the amputee to the stump of the leg, creating the normal balance.

  An-above-the-knee amputee receives a more complicated limb that includes a knee socket replica that is capable of performing the many motor functions of the knee. Amputees find it more difficult to adjust to these attachments.

The C-Leg

• Though most prosthetics are made from plastic, steel and foam, modern technology is generating advancements in prosthetic limbs. C-Leg, a type of limb made by Otto Bock HealthCare, uses microchip technology to create more natural movement and more freedom than regular prosthetics. Runners often opt for this type, despite its expensive cost, because it is the most like a regular leg.

Other Technology

• Scientists are constantly working on new ideas for artificial limbs. Currently, they are working on implanting sensor chips within the limbs that will transmit signals to the brain, creating an even more natural experience. These sensor chips will tell the amputee whether it is warm or cold around the limb, or sense texture. The chips will even be able to mimic the person's walking style, making the user's gait more fluid.