Prosthetics

If seen post-surgery, we will provide you with an amputee packet full of information and fit an IPOP and/or shrinker as needed to prepare your limb for a new prosthesis.

As your limb is healing, some paperwork will need to be taken care of:

a.  A functional evaluation may need to be completed by a physical therapist to determine what components will work best for you (If you are not working with a physical therapist, speak to our front desk and we can coordinate an evaluation appointment for you!)

b.  A prescription and office notes will need to be obtained from your Doctor (if your doctor has not provided one to you, please see our front desk for paperwork to request one from your doctor)

c.  Depending on your insurance, Prior authorization may need to be obtained.

Once your limb is healed, staples have been removed, and swelling has decreased you will be measured for a liner.

At this stage, we will take an impression of your limb over your new liner. Your prosthetist can explain to you how this liner can be worn in conjunction with your shrinker to help prepare your limb further for the prosthesis. A socket will be made from the cast that was taken and componentry will be ordered.

Once the socket is completed and componentry has been delivered to our office you will be seen to try it all on, this is your finished preparatory or “temporary” prosthesis.

As you begin to walk more on your temporary prosthesis you may begin to notice a loss of volume in your limb due to using it more and may realize that you feel more comfortable walking with a prosthetic leg. You may also feel the componentry we once chose for you is now holding you back. These are signs that you may be ready for a new prosthesis also known as a definitive or “permanent” prosthesis.

A physical therapist will need to complete a new functional evaluation to determine what components will work best for you now that you have more experience with a prosthesis (If you are not working with a physical therapist, speak to our front desk and we can coordinate an evaluation appointment for you!)

If your functional level is still the same, it is an indication that you are still in the best componentry for you! In this case we will keep the same componentry and work on adjusting the prosthesis you have. If your function level has increased that means we should provide you with componentry that suits your improvements; this will result in a new prosthesis (one preparatory prosthesis and one definitive prosthesis.) 

To provide you with a new prosthesis with different componentry we will need some additional paperwork:

a.  A prescription and office notes will need to be obtained from Doctor (if your doctor has not already provided one to you, please see our front desk for paperwork to request one from your doctor)

b. Depending on your insurance, prior authorization may need to be obtained.

Once your paperwork and authorization have been obtained, you will be casted and measured and your new componentry will be ordered.

A test socket will be made and componentry will be ordered. Once the test socket is completed and componentry has been delivered to our office you will be seen to try it all on.

At this appointment, a few things could be determined:

a.  The test socket fits perfectly and we will complete a finished socket.

b.  The test socket needs minor adjustments, which we will complete in office for you to try out.

c.  The test socket does not feel good at all and another cast and test socket can be done.

Once the socket is completed and componentry has been delivered to our office you will be seen to try it all on, this is your finished definitive or “permanent” prosthesis.