New developments in recreational prostheses and adaptive devices for the amputee

Abstract

Regardless of age, conventional prostheses and traditional rehabilitation programs no longer meet the needs and expectations of active amputees. The emphasis on fitness, the availability of stronger and lighter materials, and strong consumer demand have led to a plethora of new prosthetic designs by progressive prosthetists and engineers. Prosthetic training techniques now take into account the amputee's recreational and sports needs and desires, using advanced athletic training concepts to achieve superior performance in a wide variety of activities. The surgeon, as a key member of the amputee team, should be aware of these profound changes so that they may contribute his or her skill in surgically crafting an optimally functional residual limb. This will allow the amputee to reach for the maximum in cardiopulmonary fitness while achieving social reintegration after amputation. The combination of skills, concepts, and techniques of the amputation surgeon, prosthetist, and therapist/trainer has led to a unique situation, in which for the first time, amputees are able to successfully compete in sports because of their prostheses, rather than in spite of them.