The Importance Of Prosthetics

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Recommended: A brief history of prosthetics

Prosthetic limbs have been around for longer than people would expect and have played a crucial role of restoring wholeness to patients. A prosthetic limb is an artificially made device that replaces a missing limb or other body part. They work to restore functionality and make a person feel whole again. Over time people have used many different materials to try to replace missing body parts, these materials have ranged from wood to different types of metal, and more recently, lightweight materials such as alloys and carbon fiber. In todays society the technology of prosthetics is always advancing and helping patients become more functional. There are around 2 million people with amputations in the United States for various reasons. The most …show more content…

There was not much technological advance in terms of material or functionality. Prostheses were mainly used to hide deformities or other injuries in battle. Similar to General Marcus Sergius, many knights who lost limbs in battle would have an artificial limb to hold their shield, or an artificial leg that appeared normal when they rode horses. Many people during this time focused on the look of the limb instead of functionality. Additionally, prosthetics were only slightly functional for the wealthy people who could be fitted for a peg leg or a hand hook for their daily activities. Making artificial limbs was not the job of a doctor like today, instead different tradesmen would create custom limbs for the people who were able to pay. Many wood carvers, armorers, and even watch makers played a large role in the creation of various types of limbs. Watch makers began to add springs and gears to help with the functionality aspect where the other trades man focused more on the look. Time continued and when the Renaissance came, so did new ideas of science, medicine, art, and more. During this time artificial limbs were mainly composed of iron, steel, cooper, and wood. During the early 1500s there were many advances in the functionality of artificial limbs. For example, a German man known as Gotz von Berlichingen created a pair of iron hands that he was able to manipulate. …show more content…

Near the beginning of the war a man by the name of James Hanger lost his leg in battle. James wanted a better prosthetic so he created the Hanger Limb. This leg was made from barrel staves and metal, however it featured hinged joints which were new. The Hanger Limb was the most advanced limb because of the hinges at the knee and ankle. James also founded a company that happens to be one of the leading companies in the industry to this day. Each new prosthetic that was created featured new mechanics that made the it more functional. Additionally the designs became more pleasing to the eye and more comfortable for the patients to wear. With each new design there were plenty of tweaks and additions that made it more personalized for each person. In the field of prosthetics, the product is always best when custom made for the patient. It wasn’t

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