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After receiving your prosthesis,
your prosthetist and financial counselor
will be available to answer questions
and help with any problems pertaining
to your prosthetic care. If further
medical consultation or physical
therapy is needed, we will help with
referrals. Your financial counselor
is your advocate to assist with financial
issues.
You may
need a prosthetic check-up if ...
- You
haven’t seen your prosthetist
in at least six months.
- You’ve
experience weight gain or loss, even
if it’s
5 lbs.
- Your activity level
has changed.
Remember:
 A prosthesis is a mechanical device.
For your car to function properly,
it must be serviced regularly. Your
prosthesis must be maintained as
well. It’s important that
you have the alignment checked
to prevent physical problems.
Depending on your activity level
and lifestyle, your prosthesis should
last anywhere from two to four years.
It will require maintenance and at
some point, replacement. Just as
shoes wear out, so will a socket
and a prosthesis. When in doubt about
whether or not a new prosthesis is
required, your physician, physical
therapist or prosthetist should be
contacted.
You will also need prosthetic supplies,
such as suspensions sleeves, liners,
socks, etc. Please contact our office
for any supply needs.
A socket will normally require replacement
when one of the following takes place:
- The socket is worn out and/or
cracked. Usually a socket will
last 2-4 years depending on your
activity level.
- The socket is discolored.
- The socket no longer fits. If
the wearer has gained more than
2% of body weight, the socket will
not be comfortable and donning
will be difficult. More than 2%
of body weight loss may cause the
socket to rotate or the limb to
actually piston within the socket.
- There is a change in the size
or shape of your residual limb.
- You’ve
had revision surgery.
Life as an
amputee and with a prosthesis can
be overwhelming. That’s
why developing a good emotional support
system is vital for most patients.
This can include family member and
friends; your prosthetist, physical
therapist, and physician; a professional
counselor; an amputee support group;
and publications and Web sites for
people who use a prosthesis. Again,
a good source of information and
encouragement is the book You’re
Not Alone.
Support groups
Our patients
tell us that one of the most helpful
emotional supports they have found
is getting to know other amputees.
That’s why amputee
support groups are springing up all
over the world. Within groups like
these, patients share their feelings,
frustrations, ideas and encouragement.
Sometimes, the act of helping another
person can be a huge step towards personal
healing. Don’t try to go it alone
or be too independent. Your recovery
will be quicker and your life happier
if you reach out to others and allow
them to reach out to you. |
