The medical field is full of unique terms and abbreviations, most of which would be unfamiliar to patients and even medical professionals outside their particular specialty. Our practitioners have created a list of common prosthetic terms which will hopefully help you navigate this unfamiliar territory.
Above-knee amputation (AKA) – when your amputation level is between the hip and the knee, also known as a transfemoral amputation
ADL’s – activities of daily living – this term is used to describe the activities that we all typically engage in during the day, such as: bathing, getting dressed,preparing meals, cleaning house, doing yard work, going shopping, going for walks, etc.
Anterior – the side of your body that faces forward
Assistive devices – equipment used to aid individuals in standing, walking and transferring, such as: crutches, walkers, Rollators, wheelchairs and Knee walkers the action at your ankle when you raise your toes toward your nose
Below-knee amputation (BKA) – when your amputation level is between the knee and the ankle, also known as a transtibial amputation
Componentry – portions of a prosthesis such as: feet and knees that are attached to the socket of your prosthesis
Consumables – items used with prostheses that are not meant to last forever, suchas: socks, liners, sleeves and sheaths
Definitive prosthesis – this is the name typically given to your “final” prosthesis after your residual limb has matured and stopped changing shape
Diagnostic or check socket – when you are being fit with a new socket, you will typically be fit with one or two diagnostic sockets (made from clear plastic) so that the socket size & shape can be correct before your laminated socket is fabricated
Distal – the area of your extremities furthest away from the center of your body
Doff – the act of removing your prosthesis
Don – the act of putting on your prosthesis
Dorsiflexion – the action at your ankle when you raise your toes toward your nose
Femur – the large bone in your thigh located between your hip and your knee
Fibula – the smaller bone on the lateral side of your lower legs located between your knee and ankle
Flexible insert – a rubbery/plastic material that lines the inside of your socket providing an interface between your liner and the inside of a laminated socket
Foot – this is attached to the bottom of the pylon of your prosthesis, typically the same length as your sound side foot
Foot shell – a rubbery shell is attached over your prosthetic foot, depending on the manufacturer, they come in a few different colors (beige, brown and dark brown)– some foot shells have a split between the 1st and 2nd toes to allow sandals to be worn
Hamstrings – a group of muscles that are on the back side of your thigh – they help you to bend (flex) your knee and extend (straighten) your hip
K-Levels – Medicare’s designations of an amputee’s potential functional level once fit with a prosthesis and after the amputee goes through gait training with their prosthesis – they range from K-0 to K-4
Knee – a mechanical artificial knee attached between the bottom of your socketand the pylon that connects it to your prosthetic foot
Knee-disarticulation amputation – when your amputation level is through the kneejoint separating the femur from the tibia
Laminated socket – this is the socket you are fit with following test fitting and it is made from a combination of resigns and layers of different fabrics and carbon fiber, the lamination gives the socket strength while being fairly light weight and thin – the color of this lamination can be customized and printed cloth (like a T-shirt) can be incorporated into the lamination to personalize your socket
Lateral – the outside of your body
Liner – an item typically with gel on the inside and fabric on the outside that you will roll on over the end of your residual limb before donning your prosthesis –this protects your residual limb and often helps to suspend your prosthesis from your residual limb
Medial – toward the center line of your body
Medical Necessity – before your prosthetist can provide you with a new prosthesis, a replacement socket or consumable items such as: liners, socks or sleeves, your attending physician needs to document in your chart that what you need is “medically necessary,” otherwise, your medical insurer will not reimburse for the item needed
O.T. – occupational therapist
Patella – another name for your knee cap
P.T. – physical therapist
PCP – primary care physician
Pelite insert – a firm foam material that lines the inside of your socket providing an interface between your liner and the inside of a laminated socket
Phantom sensations – feelings in your residual limb that originate from a portion of your limb that was removed during your amputation surgery – they tend to subside over time after your amputation
Plantarflexion – the action at your ankle when you lower your toes toward the floor
Posterior – the side of your body that faces backward
Preparatory prosthesis – this is the name typically given to your first or initial prosthesis
Prosthetist – medical professional that consults with you after your amputation surgery and fits you with your prosthesis – your surgeon will typically refer you to a prosthetist that they have had experience with
Proximal – the part of your extremities closest to your heart
Pylon – the pipe that connects the socket to the foot in a below knee prosthesis or knee to the foot in an above knee prosthesis
Pylon connector – a device that is used on either end of a pylon to connect it to a socket, knee or foot
Quadricep muscles (Quads) – a group of muscles in the front (anterior) part of your thigh that help you to extend (straighten) your knee and flex your hip
Replacement socket – this is when you get a new socket fabricated usually due to changes in your residual limb size and/or shape resulting in your old socket not fitting properly – an Rx from your attending physician is required
Residual limb – the portion of your limb that was not removed during your amputation surgery
Rx – prescription from your primary care physician or family doctor, required for most prosthetic activities, such as: being fit with a new prosthesis or a socket replacement or getting replacement liners, socks or sleeves
Set screws – Allen screws used throughout prostheses to help make alignment adjustments and to hold prosthetics parts and componentry together – note: only your prosthetist should loosen or tighten these screws
Sheaths – stocking like items that are typically pulled over your liner to facilitate the donning of a prosthesis
Sleeve – an item that attaches to the top portion of the outside of your socket and rolls up onto your thigh after you’ve inserted your residual limb into the socket of your prosthesis – this helps to suspend your prosthesis from your residual limb
Socket – the portion of a prosthesis that you place your residual limb into during the prosthetic donning process – your prosthetic knee and/or foot are attached to the distal end of your socket
Specialty prosthesis – some amputees request from their physicians an Rx for a prosthesis used for activities other than normal daily functions, such as: a shower leg, a swim leg, a skiing or snowboarding leg, a mountain bike leg, an in-line skating leg
Stump shrinker – an elastic-type pull-on sock that provides compression to your residual limb following amputation surgery to help reduce swelling while shaping your limb
Stump socks – prosthetic socks are typically pulled over your liner to help re-establish socket fit after loss of volume in your residual limb – they come in a variety of thicknesses referred to as “plies” – they can be layered on top of each other as needed to re-establish an intimate socket fit
Suspension systems – this is the means by which your prosthesis is “attached to”or is “suspended from” your residual limb
Elevated vacuum – this is similar to suction except you would have either
KISS lock & lanyard – a lanyard attached to the distal end of your liner is
Lock & pin – a pin attached to the distal end of your liner engages with a
Suction – an air expulsion valve is built into the distal end of your socket, a mechanical or an electric pump attached to your socket that would work to create a vacuum in the socket to help hold the prosthesis on fed through a lock positioned in the bottom of your prosthetic socket, the lanyard comes out through a hole in the socket to the outside of the socket, where it is fed through a loop and Velcroed to itself lock positioned in the bottom of your prosthetic socket air is pushed out when you insert your residual limb (with a cushion liner over it) into the socket of your prosthesis. The socket is sealed off either by using a suspension sleeve or liners with rubber sealing rings on the
Supracondylar – a socket design that pushes into the sides of your leg just
Tibia – the major bone between your knee and ankle, typically referred to as your shin bone outside of them. The suction created in the socket acts to hold the prosthesis on above your knee to help hold the prosthesis on using your anatomy