The human body is comprised of a combination of joints, bones, muscles, and ligaments, and they work in tandem with one another to create one functional body. What humans can achieve with their bodies is something that is unique to our species, and being able to enjoy all the activities to its fullest is a blessing.
Our legs are what carry us to where we want to be, and they have allowed our species to become what we are today. However, some are us have been unfortunate enough to have lost a leg, whether in an accident, while in military service, or in the process of doing their jobs. These cases are tragic, and it would be great if no one ever had to find themselves in such a situation. Unfortunately, this is the reality that we live in.
With the help of modern medical technology, humans have been able to create prosthetic limbs that can replace the lost ones, allowing the amputee to have more control over their lives. In this article, we’ll talk about the parts of prosthetic legs and how they work together to help amputees enjoy a higher quality of life.
The Limb
Much like a natural human leg, the majority of the prosthetic leg is the leg itself. Prosthetic legs are made from a model of your lost leg in conjunction with the rest of your body to ensure the best fit. The doctors will have to take the measurements of the amputees down to the slightest detail to ensure that they create the most functional leg possible.
There are two types of prosthetic legs: the below the knee (BK) and above the knee (AK) prosthesis. The choice between these two types of prosthetics will depend on where the limb cuts off, and you can infer their usage from the descriptive names. There are several sub-categories of prosthetics such as the hemipelvectomy, hip disarticulation, and foot amputations prosthesis.
The Socket
The socket is where the residual limb is placed into the prosthetic limb, and it’s where the movement of the prosthesis originates. The socket is developed from a plaster cast to ensure a perfect fit. A high-quality prosthetic socket won’t cause any irritation or pain, as it will be covered with a liner that will keep you comfortable.
Knees and Feet
The knees and feet are the critical parts of the prosthetics, as these are the parts that will have to handle the majority of the weight. What’s more is that these are the major joints of the leg, which means that they will have to move with you to make it feel as natural as possible. Nowadays, prosthetics limbs have a motion sensor and microprocessor that associates the flexing of the muscles in the stubs with the movements of the prosthetics. These are also where the cushion of the overall prosthetics are located.
Natural Movement
The prosthetics are controlled by the movement of the residual limb. The innovative technology allows the prosthesis to read the movement of the amputee and reflect that movement onto the prosthesis. There’s a cable that runs through the stretch of the prosthetic lake that pulls the limbs with your movement, allowing you to move your limbs naturally.
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!
