Custom Prosthetic Devices – Made To Wear, Made to Love

No two limbs are the same—even on the same person. One arm or leg may be shorter than another. A dominant limb may be thicker. You may hold the frying pan with one hand while stirring eggs with the other. 

The sizes and everyday uses of our legs, arms, hands, and feet vary from person to person. With over 8 billion people on the planet (and counting) the ways we move and the methods we use for interacting with our world are as unique and fascinating as we are. 

So, when the need arises, why should you make do with an off-the-rack prosthesis? When mobility, freedom, and everyday fulfillment are on the line, why put your faith in the standard model?

Custom Fitting Prosthetics Built For You in Grosse Pointe, MI

At Above & Beyond Orthopedics in Grosse Pointe, MI, we serve the mobility needs of a truly diverse community. To us and our customers, “one-size-fits-all” might as well mean “one size satisfies none.” 

Beyond simple comfort, the right prosthesis should enable, not discourage. When fitted properly, your prosthetic device should empower, not pinch. Above all else, the right prosthetic device for you should never, ever hurt to use. Prosthetic devices that hurt simply aren’t fit for purpose.

At the start of the new year, it may finally be time to upgrade your prosthesis by choosing something built specially for you. At Above & Beyond, we can do just that. To get the help you deserve, call us today at (313) 631-1296 or contact us online. 

In the meantime, here are the top benefits of custom made prosthetic devices.

Top Benefits of Custom Prosthetics – An Above & Beyond Guide

Comfort

Throughout the natural world, animals use unique adaptations to survive. Some species sing. Other creatures leave and track pheromones. Humans are tool makers. When we see a need, we create a device to help us. In the modern world, our tools are judged by something called “haptic feedback.” 

A good tool teaches us how to use it through haptic feedback (think: your best kitchen gadget or a well-designed mobile phone). Good tools also reinforce usage through comfort and ease. Bad tools, on the other hand, could be said to provide poor haptic feedback. Bad prosthetics are much the same.

A prosthetic device that hurts when worn or slips during use eventually teaches us not to wear or use it at all. If a jolt of electricity traveled through your leg every time you sent a text message, you probably wouldn’t send so many, right? 

Uncomfortable prosthetic devices discourage use, which defeats the purpose entirely. Since you’re more likely to wear and use comfortable prostheses, you should find a prosthetic device that’s most comfortable on average and for the longest periods of time. Otherwise, when choosing between an uncomfortable prosthetic device or no device at all, either choice becomes equal to the other.

Use

Throughout the field of prosthetics, you’ll find numerous types of devices. Passive prostheses provide comfort and confidence while myoelectric prosthetic hands grip and articulate. But no matter how cosmetic or advanced your prosthesis is, you won’t be able to make the most of it if it hurts you day and night.

The advent of carbon fiber prosthetic running blades or other activity-based devices allows patients to live more active lifestyles with greater mobility and ability on average. But here again, the best, most modern prosthetic devices are only as good as the comfort they provide.

A poorly fitting prosthetic hand that’s capable of gripping may be nice, but how confident will you feel lifting a pan of sizzling cooking oil if you know it’ll hurt when you do? Just as pain and discomfort discourage prosthetic use at all, a lack of confidence in your prosthetic device can easily compromise its utility. 

To get the absolute most out of your prosthetic device, it needs to be reliable, comfortable, and practical 100% of the time—not 50% or even 60% of the time. You need mobility and ability on-demand, and a custom-fitted prosthesis can provide that better than an ill-fitting model off the rack.

Freedom

With or without a prosthetic limb, the ability to do something doesn’t always translate to the desire to do something. We make a hundred choices throughout any given day. Should I watch another episode of my favorite streaming show? Or should I go for a walk instead? Should I order dinner for delivery? Or should I go around the corner to my local bistro? 

A custom-fitted and comfortable prosthetic device can inform these decisions for a more positive outcome. But when deciding between a walk in the park or another nap, if you happen to look over and find your painful, pinching prosthetic device, you may be more likely to make the less active and less fulfilling choice. 

A custom-fitting prosthetic device should assist you in making the right decision for yourself. Even if you decide to stay in today, you at least know that you have the ability to comfortably leave your home tomorrow for a bike ride, a swim, a hike, or whatever else enriches and enhances your life. Somewhere between the ability and the desire to do something, you’ll find the freedom to do whatever you want in the moment. Having a comfortable prosthetic device at your disposal increases this freedom.

Don’t Just Choose Any Prosthesis. Choose one Made for You.

 At Above & Beyond Orthopedics in Grosse Pointe, MI, we can custom-build a prosthetic device for you that excels in comfort and use while enabling the lifestyle you prefer. We also have a full range of sockets, liners, and accessories to increase your comfort even more, further enabling you to live the life you want.

To learn more about our cosmetic, myoelectric, and activity-based prosthetic devices, or to schedule your free evaluation with us, call us today at (313) 631-1296 or contact us online. As a minority- and woman-owned business, we embrace diversity in everything we do—up to and including the unique needs of our community’s residual limbs. 

Don’t just manage with a prosthetic device—thrive instead at Above & Beyond.

Don’t Just Cope With Your Prosthesis—Thrive!

Uncomfortable prosthetic devices reveal themselves in many ways, pinching when used for a certain task or slipping during regular use. If your prosthetic device pinches you regularly, or if it causes unbearable discomfort after a certain time, you may benefit mightily from a custom-made prosthetic device. The more comfortable your prosthesis is, the more you’ll use it successfully. It’s really as simple as that. Visit us online to schedule your free evaluation or explore our full line of sockets, liners, and accessories today.