Gadgetory

looking back on my life as an apt I've experienced the full spectrum of prosthetics simple hydraulics - simple kind of mechanical knees - microprocessor computer knees but what has not happened in my entire experience is any evolution of the socket technology people are comfortable wearing their prosthetics hard to do things with a positive attitude when and while you're in pain a growing number of startups and researchers are finally taking a fresh look at prosthetic sockets using pumps flexible liners ski boot like ratchet systems or even surgical implants to improve on this long-neglected component of an artificial limb one company earning praise for its advances is limb innovations which has developed the infinite socket a modular and adjustable version that can be quickly produced and continually adjusted the san francisco company was founded by orthopedic surgeon andrew petty and prostitutes garrett Hurley UCSF colleagues and surfing buddies who found they shared similar frustrations over the state of modern sockets patients generally say the infinite socket is more comfortable than the conventional version allowing them to wear for longer periods and engage in more rigorous activities that includes Robert Spotswood he lost his right leg in nearly his life in a car accident outside of Birmingham Alabama when he was 16 he was eventually able to return to sports he loved before his accident like rock climbing and soccer and take on new ones but with conventional sockets he could only climb or play for short periods before the pain forced him to stop the sockets actually enabled me to not only play 18 holes of golf where previously I could only play nine I could play back to back 18 I could play 36 in a day I could play in a tournament for a weekend I could turn around afterwards and go out that night go to a nice dinner walk around the city I didn't know it at the time but I wasn't doing the things that I would really want to do because I was pay and I was uncomfortable the upfront cost of limb socket is currently about the same as a conventional one but because it's adjustable the infinite socket could potentially save money over the long run since patients won't need entirely new ones when they gain or lose muscle or weight but it doesn't seem to meet the needs of every amputee Dan Brzezinski lost both of its legs in 2009 when he stepped on an AED during a tour in Afghanistan for me I found that I'm fortunate in that I actually don't seem to lose or gain volume all that much so adjustability isn't my number one priority efficiency really is for me he spent weeks getting fitted with the limb socket but found it was considerably bulkier without being significantly more comfortable ultimately after giving it a go for five or six sessions a couple of hours each I thought the technology was cool but personally the desire for me to chase that perfect fit through a limb socket just isn't there and I feel like this is still the best use of my time and allows me to have the lifestyle that I need other organizations working to improve prosthetic sockets include CLIC medical which also relies on a ratchet system and the best project at MIT which has developed a flexible silicon liner meanwhile Brzezinski himself is most interested in an emergency surgical option known as osseointegration in which devices are implanted directly into the residual bone allowing prosthetic limbs to snap on it avoids the need for a socket all together it means patients can support their weight on solid bone instead of soft flesh it is a risky procedure however prone to infection and Brzezinski is holding off for now by having the implant go directly into the bone you can actually get sensory feedback from the ground you get the vibration of that foot striking the ground much more so than you do through a socket so there's some really neat benefits there of course any novel device or experimental procedure in the medical industry faces considerable challenges from getting prostitutes to recommend them to convincing insurers to pay for them but patients themselves are happy to finally see some progress in this crucial component of prosthetic limbs addressing a very literal pain point in their lives when you feel more comfortable just on a day to day basis walking to work getting in and out of your car it just gives you the confidence to live more freely and as a result you end up pushing yourself I've never been in better health I've never been more excited to wear my leg on a day-to-day basis it's more excited about new me and phiy technology as an amputee I always appreciate it when when any company or entity is trying to push the boundaries and come up with something new limb isn't the only one working on that technology and I think the industry will get there eventually I think it has potential