Month: August 2019

Modern technology makes it much easier to handle disabilities with ease. Living with health problems no longer has to be as debilitating as it once was. In fact, some people are on track to remove the “dis” from “disabled.” From regenerative treatments to state-of-the-art exoskeletons, modern treatments have become a multi-billion dollar industry, catering to any type of case and challenging what was once speculated to be “impossible.” As impressive as these solutions may be, not all life-changing and innovative treatment options have to come with a whole range of bells and whistles; in fact, one solution that has made a difference in millions of lives for over a hundred years is the prosthetic limb.

The importance of choosing the perfect pair
Whether its purpose is to replace a missing hand, foot, arm, finger, or toe, prosthetic limbs and applications change lives on a daily basis, restoring a sense of normalcy to those who have lost a body part. While there’s no way to tell which type of prosthetic application is better than another, we can wholeheartedly say that a prosthetic foot is a modern treatment method that has been shown to invoke drastic changes in people’s lives within a short amount of time. To the surprise of most people, the hardest part of losing a foot aside from the actual amputation is choosing the best shoe to wear. If you think about it, shoes make a huge difference in whether or not a prosthetic limb can properly do its job. After all, the right footwear can make it possible for an amputee to engage in activities such as rock climbing, basketball, and hiking.

Buying shoes made easy
Although choosing the right shoe for a prosthetic foot might seem like a simple task, the truth is that many people make costly, time-consuming, and avoidable mistakes during the selection process. In order to make sure that you won’t run into any obstacles when selecting a shoe for your prosthetic limb, here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

1. Determine the cause of amputation
When people buy a pair of shoes for their prosthetic foot for the first time, they often make the mistake of failing to consider the cause of amputation. Different causes, such as diabetes, complications arising from vascular disease, and even frostbite can lead to different types of needs that have to be catered to in the surviving remnants of the limb. By shopping with the cause of amputation in mind, you’ll be able to determine which type of shoe can actually cater to your needs.

Shoes can be categorized according to their primary and secondary functions, making it much easier to find the perfect shoe to have around your feet. For example: diabetic patients with a prosthetic leg or foot need extra protection on their feet for their surviving foot because of the complications that might be brought about by wounds and ulcers.

2. Go for a pair that isn’t too loose, yet not too tight
One concept that is most applicable when buying shoes for amputees is the idea of balance and its importance in the purpose and comfort of a prosthetic limb. Shoes that are too loose can allow sliding to happen, which leads to further irritation and shearing as a result of regular movement. On the other hand, shoes that are far too small can cause blisters and reduced circulation— two conditions you definitely want to avoid if you have to have your foot amputated for health reasons. Aside from comfort, it’s important to have shoes that fit properly because stabilization can occur much easier, making for a more practical and functional experience with a prosthetic limb.

3. Make your shoes a perfect match with toe fillers
In some cases, prosthetic feet fail to come with toe mouldings that can be used to fill out the extra space in a shoe. Although they can work wonderfully at times, they can also lead to issues in walking due to crumpling in the upper shoe and a lack of a solid foundation to step on. Adding a toe filler can help preserve both your shoe and the prosthetic limb that fills it because chances of slippage and crumpling can be significantly reduced.

Learn more about our prosthesis solutions on our product page. Feel free to get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

Limb difference is a condition when someone’s limb is different than normal. It can be due to developmental issues while the baby was in the womb, or it can be a result of an accident or disease. Congenital limb difference may be due to the amniotic fluid fusing the limbs of the fetus while it is developing. It can also be due to exposure to certain chemicals, viruses, medications, or tobacco smoking.

While people with a limb difference experience extra challenges compared to normal people, they are still active and can live normally like most people. A limb difference may make you look abnormal, but it should not prevent you from doing fun and exciting things.

Here are the types of limb difference:

 

Longitudinal limb difference

Longitudinal limb difference is characterized by a missing radius, fibula, or tibia. About 65 percent of this type of limb difference is associated with other disorders, such as TAR, Fanconi anemia, and Adams-Oliver syndrome. This can be treated through a surgical procedure, which involves amputating a part of a limb so that the child can use prosthetics.

 

Symbrachydactyly

Symbrachydactyly is the type of limb difference where a child is missing some bones of the fingers and hand, or some fingers altogether. It usually affects one hand only, and surgery can be performed to increase the functionality of the affected hand.

 

Oligodactyly

Oligodactyly is when a child has fewer than five fingers on the hand and toes on the foot. It often doesn’t need any intervention. In some cases, however, one or more central finger or toe is missing, making the hand or foot look like a claw.

 

Transverse limb difference

Transverse limb difference pertains to the condition where an entire section of a limb does not develop. Sometimes, surgery can be done to help the limb grow, while others go on wearing prosthetics.

 

Polydactyly

Polydactyly refers to having one or more extra fingers or toes, also known as supernumerary digits. These can be surgically removed while the child is young.

 

Syndactyly

Syndactyly is the type of limb difference where there is webbing or fusion of fingers or toes. A simple case is when soft tissues are fused, while an extreme case is when the bones are also fused. This condition can be treated through a surgical procedure during childhood to restore normal function.

 

Acquired limb difference

A traumatic accident, tumor, or infection can sometimes lead to young people losing a limb. This is called acquired limb difference. A child experiencing this receives treatment from medical, emotional, and rehabilitation professionals to ensure the best outcome.

 

Summary

Limb difference is a condition where a person is missing a part or a whole portion of a limb. Despite lacking a finger, a toe, an arm, or a leg, people with a limb difference can still live fully and enjoy an active life. Surgical operations can sometimes be done to improve functionality, and prosthetics can help them live a more mobile life.

Learn more about our prosthesis solutions on our product page. Feel free to get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

 

After a successful amputation, a new life awaits you. It can be rather daunting having to face the future when you lose a limb. It will significantly affect you in terms of your ability to go about your daily routine, especially your mobility. Furthermore, even if your operation was a success, you’ll still have to undergo certain treatments, such as limb loss rehabilitation. Entering a rehabilitation program after an amputation is important. Its goal is to help you learn to use a prosthesis so you can perform and work as you normally would, as well as help you return to a high level of social integration. Here’s what you should expect when starting a limb loss rehabilitation program:

 

Collaborative Team Effort

You have to understand that successful rehabilitation is the result of a collective effort. Yes, you aren’t alone in this fight. You need a collaborative team that will help you overcome the situation. Your team will include your family, friends, physician, prosthetist, psychologist, and occupational therapist. You may also work with a physical therapist. All of them play a vital role in helping you overcome the emotional, mental, and physical challenges that come with this process.

 

Early Stages of Rehabilitation

Soon after your limb is amputated, you’ll have to begin the early stages of rehabilitation. Your physical therapist will play a pivotal role during the first few days. He’ll assist you during the first 24 hours. This includes helping you get positioned on the bed, moving you from the bed to your wheelchair, helping you balance while standing, as well as using crutches, wheelchairs and any upper extremity assistive devices. Aside from this, pain management is something to be looked into during the early stages. Your physical therapist will teach you how to wrap up your residual limb to reduce swelling. He’ll also help you promote healthy healing in your residual limb. This includes dynamic exercises that will strengthen it.

 

Lower Extremity Users

When it comes to lower extremity users, the primary focus is on lying down or sitting. Along with this is standing, which are aimed at reorienting your center of gravity. Weight-shifting exercises between parallel bars will help you displace your center of gravity forward, backward, and to the side. They will also help you practice putting weight on your prosthesis. Your physical therapist will assist you in putting it on and taking it off. Your physical therapist and your prosthetist will be working together throughout this entire process. In due time, you will be able to carry things, get in and out of a car, stand up and sit down, use the bathroom, and a whole lot more.

 

Upper Extremity Users

For upper extremity users, the focus is on maintaining or increasing the mobility of your joints. Therefore, strengthening exercises and pain management is crucial during the early stages. Various methods will be used to ease your pain, such as acupressure, acupuncture, electrical neural stimulation, massage, resistive exercise, and ultrasound. Your physical therapist will help you practice using your good hand for daily activities like eating, grooming, using the bathroom, picking up objects, writing, and many more. He will help you learn to use your teeth to carry out some tasks to make your life a lot easier.

 

Long-term Intervention

It’s worth noting that rehabilitation after a successful operation entails a long-term intervention.  Physical therapy is not just for new amputees or new prosthetic users. It has to be performed and evaluated every year or two for the rest of your life. This is to ensure optimum mobility and utmost comfort. In fact, people who continue going to therapy operate much better with their prosthesis. They become better walkers and movers in general. Therefore, a long-term intervention is necessary for a normal life for people with lower-limb disability.

Learn more about our prosthesis solutions on our product page. Feel free to get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

 

In a matter of weeks, autumn would turn to winter, and in between that is Halloween. Prepare to have fun with kids and friends, even if you have one less leg. Thinking of and designing an authentic Halloween costume would be easier for you without one or both of your legs. However, to create the best Halloween costume, you need to start as early as now to prepare.

 

Halloween costume idea #1: Peg-leg pirate

This is the most obvious costume idea yet the most authentic, whether you want to amuse or horrify your guests, kids, and friends. You can search Google and look for Edward Teach or Mary Read as an inspiration for your costume. You can also be a simple pirate using the following materials:

 

• Eyepatch
• Bandana
• Pirate hat
• Long, dark coat
• Jewellery
• Loose shirt
• Wooden toy gun
• Pegleg/s (essential)

 

You can search online for wooden pirate peg legs for sale. You can also try wrapping a brown paper around your prosthetic leg. Of course, nothing beats a peg leg than a prosthetic leg that you can decorate with fake gold and precious stones to showcase your plundered booties (pun intended). However, don’t forget the upper half of your body. You can grow a beard as early as now so that it is thick and rich as Edward Teach’s beard by Halloween season. Also, practice your pirate vocabulary and voice for a more convincing effect.

 

Halloween costume idea #2: Zombie

Not everyone can put on a compelling legless zombie costume, and that’s where you have the advantage. If there are people coming to the party who do not know you yet, they will be in for a big surprise when you dress up as a zombie. For this costume, you will need:

 

• Torn and dirty clothing
• Face makeup
• Novelty dentures
• Fake blood gel

 

Apply fake blood gel over your stump, as well as your mouth and parts of your body and clothing. For more frightening effect, you and your accomplices can set yourself behind a wall, refrigerator, or door and spring yourself open in front of the passerby. Those whom you scare would never forget you for the experience. There’s also the option of applying fake blood on your artificial limb and wearing torn shorts, while you emphasize the top part of your body through makeup. Roam around the streets and ask for treats and people would not have second thoughts giving them to you.

 

Halloween costume idea #3: Medieval torture victim with a dislocated leg

The Medieval Ages was a terrible time for criminal justice. If you were sentenced to be quartered and hanged, the authorities would dislocate you. You can recreate this horror scene convincingly using your remaining legs and papier-mache. Since this costume takes more work, you need to start early to finish it before Halloween. To make this costume, you need:

 

• Lots of old newspaper (cut into strips)
• Glue
• Paintbrush
• Tissue paper
• Plaster of Paris
• Brown acrylic paint (or spray paint)
• Fake blood
• White long-sleeved shirt
• Torn pants (not jeans)

 

Using plaster of Paris, create a mould from your remaining leg or from a friend’s leg. Once the mould hardens, take it off and use it as a model where you can make your leg papier mache. Apply layers of glue and overlapping newspaper strips on the cast before applying another layer of tissue paper and glue for texture. Allow the “leg” to dry and harden for a week before painting it with brown acrylic or spray paint. In the party, you can remove your prosthetic limb, sit down on one corner and apply fake blood all over your stump and waist. Then arrange the leg to appear bent perpendicular to your waist. Your visitors would have no idea what’s in store for them when they come to your horror house.

Learn more about our prosthesis solutions on our product page. Feel free to get in touch with us today to see how we can help!