As a new amputee, we understand that there’s a lot going through your mind. As we’ve said all along, we’re here to help you and ease you through the process. Below are a few tips to guide you, these will not only help you to enhance the use of your prosthetic but also improve your general health.

• Trust your Prosthetists – The best way to take care of your stump and aid your rehabilitation is to follow your PO’s commands and recommendations. This will help you gain ample confidence to use your prosthetic device.

• Take utmost care of your stump (residual limb) – Always examine your stump on a regular basis, you can clean your stump with normal soap and water everyday to prevent any infection from budding.

• Clean your Prosthesis properly – Clean the insides of your liners regularly, and examine your socket and socks (if you wear any).

• Create achievable goals for your rehabilitation and follow them without procrastination – With the help of your Prosthetist (PO) make a set of goals that you need to achieve. It may be walking a certain distance everyday, exercising regularly, examining your gait with the help of friends/family/PO/yourself, and more such activities that fasten your rehabilitation process.

• Reach out to your prosthetist immediately if you face any issue – In case any issue arises in your device, immediately reach out to your Prosthetist (PO) to ensure safe usage of your device. Don’t work through the issue on your own without surety.

• Have a positive outlook in life – As a new amputee and the bundle of questions and doubts that surround you, it’s really important that you focus on your future goals. Things may seem bleak at first, but with a positive attitude and the right guidance you can achieve all your goals. We’re here to help you throughout.

• Exercise on a regular basis to maintain your stump and body health – There is no doubt in the fact that exercise is of utmost importance in the process of your rehabilitation. You need to follow your healthcare providers commands and work towards your health.

It is really important to create achievable goals for your rehabilitation. For further queries you can reach out to us and we’ll be there to guide you through-out. It’s time to Step it up with Instalimb – Contact us today!

Let’s take a quick stroll through – how to identify that your socket isn’t ideal. It is extremely important to re-evaluate your socket priorities time and again to prevent any issue from arising. We completely understand how defining the not so ideal consequences of using your device becomes difficult without any set parameters.

We’re here to help, here are 6 signs that you can refer to assess how you’re feeling with your current device. Take a look below :

• Pain and Discomfort – Pain and discomfort can arise due to various reasons that are all connected to the socket fitting. Sometimes, you might feel your stump move or slide inside the socket which is a sign that your socket does not fit and further causes problems. Other times, the ill fitted socket might hinder your gait along with an accompanying pain with each step.

• Ability to pinpoint the bone supporting your weight – With a good fitted socket, you cannot differentiate the body part that is supporting your weight.

• Skin damage –  Research shows that around 74% amputees have skin issues associated with prosthetic wear. They can be minor at times but may progress further as well. It includes blemish, redness, scab, and pigmentation.

• Balance issues – Balance is not solely affected by alignment, but significantly due to the fitting as well. If your socket is malaligned or loose it will result in instability, further leading to poor balance and a fear of falling.

• Wearing multiple socks to make your device stay in place is a clear sign that your socket needs adjusting!

• Back Pain – If your socket is loose/ill-fitted, it could lead to an improper gait and eventually cause structural and muscular changes. This in most cases causes muscular pain, especially back pain.

These signs not only affect the confidence of an amputee while using a prosthetic but also makes the rehabilitation process much more complicated.

It is really important to create achievable goals for your rehabilitation. For further queries you can reach out to us and we’ll be there to guide you through-out. It’s time to Step it up with Instalimb – Contact us today!

We understand that as new amputees a great deal of time is spent thinking about all the things that can go wrong, without actualizing the precautions one is ought to take. There’s no denying that limb and skin care for an amputee is of utmost importance while using a prosthetic. It can help you prevent problems and issues that may arise due to negligence.

Using a prosthetic requires a thorough process of rehabilitation, and to optimize the same there are a few steps one must follow. Some tips for a new prosthetic users are mentioned below :

• Wash your limb with mild soap and water every day to keep your stump clean and healthy. A gentle wash will reduce the chances of infection.
• Make sure to check your limb for red pressure patches, skin breakdown, marks, blisters, sore spots, or any abnormal occurrence.
• In case of reduced or no sensation in your stump, do regular checks and avoid putting it in hot water or extended sun exposure as it may lead to burns and blisters.
• Don’t sleep with a pillow below your knee as this might lead to a contracture (Joint stiffness). This affects the process of rehabilitation and optimum prosthetic use.
• As a new amputee, use a shrinker as prescribed. To aid that you can also try to take a bath at night as your leg might swell with hot water, making it difficult to put on your prosthetic.
• Don’t hang your leg down for longer hours, it might lead to swelling as well.
• You can also place a bandage on your stump to reduce swelling when you’re not using your device.
• Do stretching exercises regularly. Stretching of your limbs (both lower extremities) is extremely important to maintain mobility and health of your joints and muscles.
• Remove your device before sleeping. Also, examine your device for loose parts and contact your Prosthetist in case of any damage.
• Always wear clean and dry socks with your device, it will further aid in preventing your stump from any kind of bacterial infection.

These tips that can help you to maintain your limb and stump health. To begin your healthy journey as an amputee, it is important to take maximal care of your amputation site, device as well as your health in general.

It is really important to create achievable goals for your rehabilitation. For further queries you can reach out to us and we’ll be there to guide you through-out. It’s time to Step it up with Instalimb – Contact us today!