Who Can Get A Leg Prosthetic?

29 March 2023 by Renee Ruiz

Humans are animals that are designed for walking. Many years ago, in the hunter-gatherer era of humanity's history, people used to walk around 16,000 to 17,000 steps every day. This is why the proper functioning of the lower limbs was paramount to the survival of ancient humans. In the modern era, there have been many advancements in societies, technologies, and agriculture, allowing people to live a fulfilling life regardless of losing a lower limb.

Many health conditions may end up requiring lower limb amputation. There are chronic causes like diabetes, but there are also acute situations like car crashes, accidents, and infections that could cause it. With this in mind, it is not unusual for people in today's society to find themselves having to face a lower limb amputation. And, in the mind of the patient, one of the greatest worries is if this will affect their possibility of living a fulfilling life.

Who can get a leg prosthetic?

There are many reasons why someone would want a leg prosthetic, like the assistance in mobilizing themselves and the comfort of not feeling judged for the lack of a limb. But, there are many variables to take into consideration in order to understand if someone can use a leg prosthetic, such as:

Is the remaining lower limb healthy and strong?
What caused the amputation? Did it have to do with a reduction in the body's capacity to feel, move, or support itself?
Is there chronic pain in the lower back, lower limb, or stump?
Are there healthy muscles, skin, and soft tissues for the prosthetic to make contact with?
What are the mobility goals of the patient?

With all of this in mind, there are many questions to be asked about the feasibility of a leg prosthetic. But if there's a real chance for a doctor to assist a patient in the process of getting one, there are many benefits to its use. For patients, the main benefit is feeling free to mobilize themselves with the use of walkers, canes, or prosthetics alone. Also, many patients use prosthetics for the aesthetic simulation of a normal lower limb. Making it possible to use pants, shoes, and socks, which achieves a sense of normalcy in the cases in which it is needed or desired.

Overall, facing an amputation is not an easy situation. But there are resources that people can use in order to improve their living conditions. Prosthetics are on most amputees' minds, but it's crucial to get adequate assistance in understanding if a prosthetic is meant for any particular patient. This is why it's important to make this decision with the assistance of a certified orthopedics doctor who can solve any query or situation that will arise during this process.

Contact a local prosthetics service to learn more.

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