Components of
A Prosthetic Leg
A prosthesis consists of a number of different parts. Below you will find a breakdown of what makes a prosthetic leg.
Below-the-Knee Prosthesis
- Custom-Made Socket: Flexible inner socket with a laminated frame
- Liner: The liner is a protective cover made of a flexible, cushioning material. Worn over your residual limb, it reduces movement and chafing between the skin and the socket. Liners are designed with specific characteristics to work with different suspension systems.
- Knee Sleeve: Knee sleeves are needed for vacuum and suction suspension. They create a seal around the socket’s top edge. After donning a liner (which acts as a second skin) and a prosthetic sock, you insert your residual limb into the socket. The liner extends beyond the sock, so rolling up the sleeve attached to the outside of the socket creates an airtight seal where the sleeve and liner overlap. The prosthesis stays attached with pump-activated vacuum or valve-assisted suction.
- Pylon: Connects the socket and the prosthetic foot; can be used to adjust height
- Prosthetic Foot
Above-the-Knee Prosthesis
- Custom-Made Socket: Flexible inner socket with a laminated frame
- Liner: The liner is a protective cover made of a flexible, cushioning material. Worn over your residual limb, it reduces movement and chafing between the skin and the socket. Liners are designed with specific characteristics to work with different suspension systems.
- Prosthetic Knee: Mechanical or microprocessor
- Pylon: Connects the socket and the prosthetic foot; can be used to adjust height
- Prosthetic Foot