Individuals with lower-limb amputations often make headlines, from Paralympic runners with high-tech carbon fiber feet, to Amy Purdy’s recent appearance on the television show Dancing with the Stars, to stories of wounded warriors returning to duty after being fitted with the newest generation of rugged prostheses that can withstand environmental and physical challenges. But most of these high-profile stories, and in fact most of the patients with lower-limb loss that the average prosthetist encounters, have transtibial or transfemoral amputations. In this issue’s cover story, however, we asked experienced practitioners to share their knowledge about a patient population with a type of lower-limb loss that you may not have treated before: hip disarticulation. Because this patient population is relatively small, it has not garnered headlines or the abundant research dollars needed to further advances in hip disarticulation prosthetic technology, but work has been taking place beyond the headlines. “Improving Fit + Function for the Hip Disarticulation Patient” introduces some more recent alternatives to the traditional bucket-style socket for this type of presentation. With better treatments for injuries sustained in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other trauma situations, the experts we spoke to report increased focus on hip disarticulation patients. There’s also a need for prosthetists who have had successes with this patient population to share their knowledge so that other prosthetists and their patients can benefit, says Zach Harvey, CPO.
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