Four Benefits Of An Upper Arm Prosthetic

Did you recently have an amputation above the elbow? If so, you may be finding it difficult to adjust to life without the lower portion of your arm. Your doctor has likely mentioned to you that an upper limb prosthetic may aid you in having the most independent lifestyle as possible. Perhaps you have many questions or even doubts about whether a prosthetic will benefit you. The following are concrete ways that an upper limb prosthetic can help you.

Perform Daily Tasks with Ease

One thing that troubles some people who are in need of upper limb prosthetics is whether or not they will be able to perform tasks as they did prior to the amputation. Today's prosthetics have hand and socket functions that allow users to mimic natural hand and limb coordination. 

Customized Fitting

You may also have concerns about whether or not your new prosthetic will be uncomfortable. Expect a learning curve when it comes to getting adjusted to the unique features of your device. You can also expect comfort when you learn how to use your prosthetic. This is because prosthetic limbs are generally custom fitted. Any fears that you have about whether or not your prosthetic will be comfortable can be eased by using a prosthetic designer who can alter your prosthetic to the unique dimensions of your body and amputation site. 

Alterations to a prosthetic are to be expected, and the alterations may often be related to issues with the socket fit. A poorly fitted prosthetic socket may limit your ability to fully use all the features of your prosthetic. This is why it is important to communicate issues of discomfort to the prosthetic maker. In some cases, silicon liners may be used to achieve the desired level of comfort. 

Normal Reflexes Minimally Affected

You likely desire to have the benefit of feeling your natural reflexes. A proper fitting prosthetic should not interfere with your reflexes. There may be some diminishing effects to reflexes if trauma contributed to the amputation. For example, a person involved in a car accident may have muscles and nerves torn away in manner that negatively affects reflexes, but an amputation for medical reasons such as cancer may allow doctors to perform more accurate amputation incisions, which may result in less damage to muscles and nerves. 

Ability to Distribute Weight Discretely

Perhaps you have concerns about whether you will be able to lift things with your prosthetic. If you have full function of your other arm, you should be able to distribute the weight of certain objects without it being obvious that you are wearing a prosthetic. You may have to work closely with a  physical trainer to increase your resistance to weight, and additional adjustments to the prosthetic may be needed to ensure that you can lift the amount of weight you are used to lifting. 

For more information, talk to a place like Cotton Orthotic and Prosthetic.

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