Proper limb care is essential to your health. Prosthetic sockets can be a problem area because they trap sweat. In that same area, there is very little air circulating, which prevents air circulation leading to the possibility of bacterial growth and possible infection. Infections can lead to issues with the skin surrounding the socket area; consequently, the skin can break down and require immediate medical attention. In these cases, the prosthesis would need to be removed. Here are a few tips that have been gathered to help you avoid the piutfalls of poor limb care.
Limb Care
If you are a new amputee, it’s better to take a bath or shower at night rather than in the morning, as your limb will swell in hot water or when dangling as you sit or stand to shower, making it difficult to put on your prosthesis. In the beginning, you should use a shrinker at night, and put on your prosthesis when you get up from the bed – in other words, don’t let your leg hang down or it will swell. As time goes by, this will become less necessary.
If you have a below-knee amputation, never sit or sleep with a pillow under your knee, because in time it will prevent you from bending your knee or using your prosthesis properly.
If you have an above-knee amputation, do not sleep with:
Your limb resting on a pillow, as this will cause an inability to straighten your hip, known as a hip flexion contracture.
A pillow between your legs because it lengthens the inner thigh muscle and shortens the outer thigh muscles so that you walk and stand with your feet apart, effecting your walking gait.
Stretch daily to make sure that you can straighten your knee. Stretching can ease the task of walking and ensure more comfort when performing other common daily activities like sitting down or even lying down.