First fitting and future adjustments
After assembly, the patient receives their first fitting. Fine adjustments are made to achieve a perfect fit, and the prosthetist works closely with the patient to ensure comfort and alignment. Smith emphasizes that the leg can change shape quickly, even within twenty minutes of wearing a prosthesis; therefore, patients often receive two or three test sockets over a period of six to eight weeks.
“Once the volume of their leg stabilizes, we transition them from a test socket to their final carbon fiber socket,” Smith said.
Beyond just comfort, Smith emphasizes the importance of proper alignment for human locomotion, which guides weight distribution to replicate natural walking.
