At Comfort Prosthetics & Orthotics we design and develop comfortable, ultra-light weight prosthetics; all of our devices are fabricated onsite by experienced professionals in our laboratories.

Every prosthetic begins at the socket, comfort is the priority, if a socket is not comfortable; the amputee will not wear the prosthesis, period.

Here at Comfort, we are able to care for any level of lower limb amputee, from the highest level of amputation to the lowest, we will build you a comfortable prosthetic that works for you and your lifestyle.  We have experienced ABC certified practitioners ready to take care of any level: hemi-pelvectomy, hip-disarticulation, above-knee, below-knee, symes, and partial foot; our goal is to build you a comfortable, functional prosthetic.

Designing a comfortable, functional prosthetic socket is the key. 

The socket is the interface between the amputee and the rest of the prosthesis. It must have an intimate fit with the amputated limb, its design is critical to the comfort of the amputee, and if not done right, the prosthetic will not get used. Therefore we specialize in socket development and design, using a combination of traditional and modern techniques, we develop the right socket for the right person.

Not only must the socket feel comfortable, it must suspend to the amputated limb effectively.  Socket suspension technology has grown rapidly in the past decade and there are now many more options at our disposal to make sure the prosthetic socket holds snugly to your limb, making it feel as an extension of your body as much as possible.

Once the socket is designed correctly and the right suspension mode is chosen, the last part of the socket development process is choosing the right materials to build the socket with.  From carbon fiber, Kevlar, composite blends, flexible plastics, acrylic and epoxy resins; we can manipulate a variety of materials to provide an ultralight, flexible socket that conforms to your body perfectly and keeps you comfortable.

Partial Foot

Today’s partial foot prostheses are much more form-fitting and slimmer than traditional bulky designs. From silicone skins that fit on like a slipper and look & feel like a human foor to carbon fiber frames with flexible plastics. We can build the right partial foot prosthetic for you.

Below-the-Knee

The below-the-knee socket is designed to support the weight of the amputee throughout the remaining amputated limb below the knee.  In order to correctly build this style of socket, there must be room for the tibia (shin bone) and fibula to be comfortable in the socket, while spreading the weight out throughout the rest of the tissue in the limb.  There are many different techniques, designs, and materials that can be used to create the right socket for you, it is key to work with your prosthetist during the development process and be clear about your goals, so we can build a socket that fits your lifestyle.

Above-the-Knee

The above-the-knee socket is designed to support the weight of the amputee throughout the remaining amputated limb.  In order to correctly build an above knee socket, we must leave room for the femur to be comfortable in the socket while spreading the weight throughout the rest of the tissue in the limb. There are many different techniques, designs, and materials that can be used to create the right socket for you, it is key to work with your prosthetist during the development process and be clear about your goals, so we can build a socket that fits your lifestyle.

Hip Disarticulation / Hemi-Pelvectomy

The hip-disarticulation socket has made many advances over the past few years.  Traditionally, it was large and cumbersome with belts and straps used to hold it together and suspend to your body. Not anymore, the development of the bikini socket which we have used since 2013 has dramatically reduced the size of the socket, and allows us to manipulate multiple materials to make sure we have the most comfortable & functional socket developed just for you.  We have also been able to modify these designs for hemi-pelvectomy amputees so that they provide an excellent level of comfort, support, and function for even this level of amputation!

Building and fitting prosthetic limbs is both an art and a science, the design must evolve with the amputee as they progress in rehabilitation and in life.

The Immediate Post-Operative Period

Right after amputation, and sometimes during the procedure itself; your surgeon or prosthetist may apply a dressing to the amputated limb to control swelling and begin shaping the amputated limb. This dressing may be rigid and not allow you access to the wound site, or it may be soft and require dressing changes throughout the day.  Either way, compression on a newly amputated limb is a good thing in most cases, besides shrinking and shaping the limb, it reduces pain and gets the amputee more familiar with their limb and their needs going forward.

It is important that the amputee and prosthetist stay in close communication during this period, we’ll want to know when your suture/staples are being removed and how the healing process is moving along. In most cases, we can help make sure the amputated limb is safe and continues to progress nicely through the healing process.

Temporary, Preparatory or Training Prosthesis

The temporary, preparatory or training prosthesis, are all synonyms for the same thing; the very first prosthetic a new amputee will ever use.  This prosthesis is less sophisticated than the “definitive” prosthesis they will receive later on, and just as the multiple names imply, it is used for new amputees to begin to learn how to operate their prosthetic, get comfortable with maintenance of their limb and prosthetic, and learn what will work best for them.

Additionally, the first three months after the amputation surgery is when we typically see the most volume reduction in the residual limb.  Basically, the limb will progressively shrink throughout your first few months because it is now inside a prosthetic socket for the first time ever, the constant limb containment of a prosthetic socket, causes edema and fluid to move out of the amputated limb. When not wearing the prosthesis, the new amputee should be wearing an elastic shrinker sock that encapsulates the limb and provides compression to ensure the shrinking process continues around the clock.

As the limb shrinks, the new amputee will have to apply prosthetic socks to take up the space the limb used to fill inside the socket. This is an important process, because adjusting to volume changes is a fact of life for most amputees, and the sooner they become comfortable with diagnosing how many socks they need on a given day the sooner they will be successful as a new amputee.  

Definitive Prosthesis

After a few months of waiting, rehabilitation and prosthetic use, most amputees are ready for what is called a “definitive prosthesis.” Although not truly definitive, this prosthesis should last most patients for a number of years with maintenance and adjustments along the way.

We will begin the definitive fitting process once the residual limb has stabilized in size and shape. A new socket will be custom fit to the new volume and shape of your residual limb, and new componentry will be selected that will best fit your individual needs and allow you to continue advancing as an amputee.  It is important for the amputee to be very clear about their lifestyle and goals as a person during this process as it will enable the best possible prosthetic to be built just for you.

It is very important to understand that although it is called a “definitive” prosthesis, it is not the only prosthesis most amputees will ever need. Humans are dynamic, living organisms, our bodies are made of mostly fluid; and our bodies change throughout our lives.  There are a multitude of factors that can cause your limb to shrink or swell, especially weight gain or loss; so it is important you check in with your prosthetist on a regular basis. Socket changes can be a semi-frequent thing for some amputees, everyone is different, but if you are ever in pain, you need to contact your prosthetist right away!

Lastly, prosthetics are ultimately mechanical replacements for your natural limb, they are made of moving mechanical and electrical parts. Fact of life: moving parts wear down and break over time, they also may require maintenance, alignment and other adjustments. If you ever have a question, or something isn’t operating or feeling like it used to, or you’re hearing a new strange noise…Contact your prosthetist and schedule an appointment right away. 

Special Considerations

Children grow fast! Their prosthetics must grow with them.  We suggest a much tighter visit schedule for growing children to ensure that we are keeping up with their rapidly evolving needs.  And since we build everything right in our own laboratory, we can often build a new prosthetic in a single day if needed, to make sure our kids keep on living happy successful lives!

Water prosthetics allow you to shower, swim, snorkel or dive in the water while maintain use of your amputated limb.  They also allow you to exit and enter the water with use of both limbs, which can be extremely important. Obviously, these prosthetics must take special consideration for the type of activities an amputee may be doing in the water;  we will be happy to develop the right type of water prosthetic for whatever activities you will be doing with them.