Do prosthetics often need to be replaced?

Prosthetics are assistive devices for people with physical disabilities, which can play a compensatory function and allow friends with limb amputations to better integrate into society. Do prosthetics need to be changed frequently and how long can they be used? Many amputee friends are more concerned about the problem when installing prosthetics.

First of all, the brand, material, technology, and parts are different, and the service life of the prosthesis is not exactly the same, and it cannot be completely completed. It will also be affected by daily use and maintenance problems. It is not certain how long a prosthesis can be used, but prosthetics have relevant standards.

Take the most common leg prosthesis for example. The service life of the prosthesis is related to the characteristics of the prosthetic materials, the user's living environment, the characteristics of work and labor, age and weight. The specific circumstances of the service life of its main components are as follows:

Prosthetic feet

The prosthetic feet made of rubber or polyurethane as the main material are time-consumables and have a short service life compared to other components. According to the national standard, the prosthetic foot needs to reach a minimum of 1 million times when doing dynamic structure strength testing, which is equivalent to about 1 year of use under normal circumstances. If the user's living area is in an area with more complicated road conditions (such as: hills, mountains, etc.), and often do heavy physical labor, etc., the service life of the prosthetic foot will be affected accordingly, resulting in a short service life, and it is normal to be damaged without use for one year.

Connector components

Made of metal materials, it has been used for a relatively long time. According to the national standard, the connector assembly needs to reach a minimum of 3 million times when testing the main structure, which is equivalent to about 3 years of use under normal circumstances.

Prosthetic socket

Because the Prosthetic socket will be in close contact with the stump and play a role in carrying the weight of the body, its production requirements and standards are relatively high. The material of the prosthetic socket is made of specially developed materials that are easily damaged.

When using a prosthesis, it is important to note that when you first use a prosthesis, the Prosthetic socket will not match the stump due to muscle atrophy. It's not a matter of product quality. It needs to be remade according to the situation. Because adolescents are in a developmental stage, their height and body shape will continue to change, and they need to change the prosthetic socket frequently before the body is set.