Have you ever wished you could better understand the “Greek” being spoken by the professionals in your prosthetic office? This glossary of prosthetic terms will not only increase your knowledge, but could also help you explain what you are feeling during the fitting process.

PROSTHETIC TERMINOLOGY

A

Abduction:  Motion of body part away from mid-line of body.

Adduction:  Motion of body part toward mid-line of body.

Adherent Scar Tissue:  Scar tissue formed in the healing process which sticks to underlying tissue such as muscle or bone.

AK:  Above knee amputation; also known as transfemoral amputation.

Alignment:  Position of prosthetic socket in relation to foot and knee.

Amputation:  The loss or absence of all or part of a limb.

Anterior:  Front; as in front portion of a shoe or foot.

B

Bilateral Amputee:  A person missing either both arms or both legs; a double amputee.

Biomechanics:  Applying mechanical principles to the study of how the human body moves.

BK:   Below-knee amputation; also known as transtibial amputation.

Body Image:   The awareness and perception of one’s own body related to both appearance and function.

C

Check or Test Socket:   A temporary socket, often transparent, made over the plaster model to aid in obtaining proper fit and function of the prosthesis.

Contracture:  Tightening of muscles around a joint which restricts the range of motion.

Cosmesis:   The outer, aesthetic covering of prosthesis. Usually made of foam or rubber-like material and covered with a cosmetic skin or hosiery.

D

Definitive Prosthesis:   A replacement for a missing limb or part of a limb which meets accepted check-out standards for comfort, fit, alignment, function, appearance, and durability.

Disarticulation:   An amputation through a joint; commonly the hip, shoulder, knee, ankle, elbow, or wrist.

Distal:   The end most distant from the central part of the body. For example, the distal part of the femur (thigh bone) is the end down by the knee. The opposite of distal is proximal.

Donning and Doffing:   Putting on and taking off the prosthesis, respectively.

Dorsiflexion:   Pointing the toe/foot upward, toward the body.

Durometer:   Means different “density” or strength.

E

Edema:   A local or generalized condition in which the body tissues contain an excess of fluid.

Energy Storing Foot:   A prosthetic foot designed with a flexible heel. It is designed with a spring that stores energy when weight is applied to it and releases energy when the amputee transfers weight to the other foot.

Extension Assist:   A method of assisting the prosthetic limb to “kick forward” on the swing-through phase to help speed up the walking cycle.

F

Femur:   The thigh bone.

G

Gait Training:   Learning how to walk with your prosthesis or prostheses.

H

Heel Strike:   The moment when the heel makes contact with the floor at the end of the swing-through phase.

Hemi-Pelvectomy (HP):   An amputation where approximately half of the pelvis is removed.

Heterotopic Ossification (HO):  Formation of true bone within extraskeletal soft tissues.

Hip-Disarticulation (HD):  Amputation which removes the leg at the hip joint, leaving the pelvis intact.

Hydraulic:   Used in reference to knee joints and provides controlled changes in the speed of walking.

I

Ischium:   The lower portion of the hip bone (ischial tuberosity) that protrudes from your pelvis; also known as the “sitting” bone.

K

Knee-Disarticulation:   Amputation through the knee joint.

L

Lateral:   To the side, away from the mid-line of the body.

Liner:   Used for suspension, comfort and protection of the residual limb. These liners may be made of silicone or gel substances.

M

Medial:   Toward the mid-line of the body.

Multiaxial Foot:   Allows inversion and eversion and rotation of the foot, and is effective for walking on uneven surfaces.

N

Negative Pressure:   Vacuum. In relation to prosthetics, elevated negative pressure is used to provide superior interface with skin and tissue which increases comfort, control and proprioception of the prosthesis.

Neuroma:   The end of a nerve left after amputation which continues to grow in a cauliflower shape. Neuromas can be troublesome, especially when they are located in places where they are subject to pressure from the prosthetic socket.

O

Orthotics:   The profession of providing devices to support and straighten the body.

P

Phantom Pain:   Pain, which seems to originate in the portion of the limb which has been removed.

Phantom Sensation:   The normal “ghost image” of the absent limb. May feel normal at times and at other times be uncomfortable or painful.

Pistoning:   Sometimes called “milking”. The term used when your liner stretches, resulting in your residual limb slipping up and down inside the prosthetic socket.

Plantar Flexion:   Means the toe is pointing down, toward the sole of the foot. Almost like pushing the gas pedal down and simulating that position or alignment.

Ply:   Thickness of prosthetic sock. The higher the ply number, the thicker the sock.

Posterior:   The back side of the body or part in question.

Proprioception:   The sense of the orientation of one’s limbs in space.

Prosthetics:   The profession of providing functional restoration of missing human parts.

Prosthesis:   An artificial part of the body.

Proximal:   Nearer to the central portion of the body. For example, the proximal end of the femur is part of the hip joint. The opposite of proximal is distal.

Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD):   A congenital anomaly where the proximal femur is lacking in completeness.

Pylon:   A rigid tube between the socket or knee unit and the foot that provides a weight bearing support shaft for a prosthesis.

R

Ramus:   The front, middle portion of the pubic bone (in the groin area).
Range of Motion: The amount of movement a limb has in a specific direction at a specific joint, such as your hip or knee.

Residual Limb:   The remaining portion of a limb after amputation, also called the “stump.”

Revision: Surgical modification of the residual limb.

S

Shrinker:   A prosthetic reducer made of elastic material and designed to help control swelling of the residual limb (edema) and/or shrink it in preparation for a prosthesis.

Stance Control:   Device with an adjustable brake mechanism to add stability to prosthetic knee unit.

Stance Flexion:   Mimics normal knee flexion at heel strike.

Swing-Phase:  Prosthesis moving from full flexion to full extension. Usually used in reference to prosthetic knee units.

Symes Amputation:   An amputation through the ankle joint that retains the fatty heel pad portion and is intended to provide end weight-bearing.

V

Vacuum:   (see Negative Pressure)

This entry was posted on Friday, July 31st, 2009 at 1:11 pm and is filed under Education/Information.