Security and function from a prosthesis are requirements for any amputee…and ideally the prosthesis should also be comfortable to wear. Achieve security, function, and comfort from a cohesive solution: an Alpha Select Cushion Liner partnered with LimbLogic VS and the Alpha Flex Sleeve. These three products work together to provide reliable suspension security, greater comfort than alternative liners, and a broad range of knee motion.
Pieces and Parts
A successful vacuum suspension system is the sum of its parts.
An Alpha Select Cushion Liner is the first part of the system. The liner, with its hybrid gel, provides comfort, durability, and functionality for the amputee. A new gel style meets the specific needs of the transtibial amputee:
- The 9mm-thick distal end provides extra cushioning during ambulation.
- A 6mm gel pad protects the sensitive tibial crest.
- The 2.5mm-thick proximal edge minimizes thickness when the user reflects the liner for an airtight seal.
- The 2.5mm gel is also found behind the knee. Along with the liner’s flexible knee panel, the thinner gel promotes a broad range of motion. Flexing the knee and bending or sitting for long lengths of time are easily managed without the liner pulling or tightening at the knee.
An airtight socket, either laminated or thermoplastic, is critical to successful vacuum suspension. The LimbLogic VS controller, or pump, is completely integrated with the prosthesis and attaches directly below the socket. The system continually monitors the level of vacuum within the socket to maintain a secure and comfortable fit.
The final part of the system is the Alpha Flex Sleeve. The sleeve seals the socket proximally against the reflected Alpha Select Liner. A polyurethane pad on the interior fabric cuff covers the socket brim line for extra protection from punctures. The sleeve’s highly flexible fabric yields comfort, flexibility, and a broad range of motion…a good complement to the flexibility of the Alpha Select Liner.
Internal Study Results
In a cross-sectional study1 of 22 lower-limb amputees with LimbLogic VS in their prostheses, Ohio Willow Wood determined patients chose personal vacuum levels for maximum comfort. Part of the comfort experienced by study participants is actually security. The participants knew their prostheses were securely attached and that there was little risk of them falling off. Seventy-three percent of amputees in the internal study found a vacuum setting at or above 14 inHg as the most comfortable.
Additionally, almost 64 percent adjusted the system’s vacuum level to match their current activity level, such as walking, sitting, exercising, etc. The conclusion is that the ability to adjust the vacuum level within a socket allows an amputee to attain the highest level of personal comfort, security, and functionality.
For more information about these products, please contact your distributor or Ohio Willow Wood at 800.848.4930 or visit www.owwco.com
1Gerschutz M, Denune JA, Colvin JM, Schober G, Haynes ML, Nixon D.
