Prosthetic

Prosthetic

A prosthetic or prosthetic limb is a device that is designed to replace a missing part of the body or to make a part of the body work better. Diseased or missing eyes, arms, hands, legs, or joints are commonly replaced by prosthetic devices.

History

The history of prosthetics has been driven by war and the suffering it causes. The earliest known prosthetic, a big toe made of wood and leather, was found on a 3000-year-old mummy. The Romans used simple prosthetic devices to replace lost limbs and the Dark Ages saw the use of peg legs and hook hands. The Renaissance brought about a revolution in prosthetics, with the invention of the first true prosthetic limb in the 16th century.

Types of Prosthetics

There are four main types of prosthetics; these are the transradial, the transhumeral, the transtibial, and the transfemoral.

Transradial Prosthesis

A transradial prosthesis is an artificial limb that replaces an arm missing below the elbow.

Transhumeral Prosthesis

A transhumeral prosthesis is an artificial limb that replaces an arm missing above the elbow.

Transtibial Prosthesis

A transtibial prosthesis is an artificial limb that replaces a leg missing below the knee.

Transfemoral Prosthesis

A transfemoral prosthesis is an artificial limb that replaces a leg missing above the knee.

See Also

• Orthotics
• Artificial limb
• Prosthetics in fiction
• Bionics
• Biomechatronics

References

Prosthetic Resources
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