Thursday 16 August 2012

Prosthetic Fitting Part 1



I was asked to go to Seacroft Centre to have my first fitting of my prosthetic leg because I had gone as far as I could with the P.A.M aid and I was really excited.
You have your measurements two weeks before then you are asked to go for a fitting.

I arrived at 9am and was told to bring my other shoe. The prosthatist then brought out my leg.
I don’t have a picture yet but when I do I will post it.

It looked so strange my whole leg with a shoe on the end in a plastic bag. He gave it to me to feel the weight of it, and I couldn’t believe how heavy it was.
Apparently it weighs just under a stone! But if you were able to weigh your own leg it would be heavy, you have just grown up with the weight as it’s grown. So to have it missing for 2 months, then have it given back to you was really strange.

I was able to stand up in it but couldn’t walk, as the fitting wasn’t correct. Because of my injuries all I have is a lump of muscle covered with skin, and then a layer of bandages, which ends up being cone shaped.  So when I put the prosthetic on my 'stump' slid into it and the end was touching the bottom, which it shouldn’t. You should never have to bare any weight on the end of your stump. If you find this is happening the fitting is wrong.

Also I realised the top of the prosthetic went right up to the top of my inside leg, and when I took a step the plastic, even though it was padded banged against my pubic bone.

The prosthatist was very thorough, and wanted to take it off and tweak it to get it right, this meant taking it away and re-moulding it whilst I was there. 4 hours later and it still wasn’t right, I was very disappointed, as I wanted my leg now I had seen it. But I also knew because of the shape of my leg it wouldn’t be right first time and probably will need lots of tweaking before its was correct. My next fitting was due in 2 weeks time, in the mean time it was back on the P.A.M aid.


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