New Foot Study
- Thread starter Wildman
- Start date
OP
I’m not so concerned w cost, I have good insurance. It’s the real world take from someone in a similar boat. Thank you for your thoughts. I was curious about driving as well. I’m 6-6 300 and barely fit anyway.
Just know that even with good insurance I've talked to amputees who have had major issues getting new sockets or a different foot approved.
My current foot from Ossur costs $20K and that is just the foot.
Then the socket costs about another $6-10K to make. And I have 3 different sockets & 4 different feet.
My family doctor asked me about 3 weeks ago how I felt about having the amputation done since it had been just over 4 years. And I said I'd do it all over again. I have NO regrets at all. Sure some things are a PITA and you have to pay more attention when walking over uneven ground type stuff but I wouldn't go back at all. Not having all the pain I was in prior to my amputation is HUGE.
I'm only 5' 10" but I was a little north of 300lbs prior to my amputation because I couldn't move.
Wow ok, I had a feeling that they were expensive. I really appreciate your help. I’ll have too look into the cost for the half foot ones. I would love to be free of pain
OP
Alright since I have to have new sockets made I needed new wraps for them also. So I played with my graphics program and came up with these...
This will be for my everyday socket.
And then this for my motorcycle socket
As always I welcome comments & suggestions. You have to kind of imagine what it'll look like wrapped around the socket.
This will be for my everyday socket.
And then this for my motorcycle socket
As always I welcome comments & suggestions. You have to kind of imagine what it'll look like wrapped around the socket.
OP
You send your design to a place called Fred's Legs and they print the design onto fabric that is then molded into the socket as it's being made. It's put under the last layer of carbon fiber.
https://fredslegs.com/
You can also get premade designs done or if you have a favorite T-shirt they can use that.
https://fredslegs.com/
You can also get premade designs done or if you have a favorite T-shirt they can use that.
OP
I'm back at my prosthesis office today. He's going to make me a new socket that is smaller than the current check socket. It's pretty cool how they can do this.
He's lined the socket with a old style sock that he'll glue into the socket. Then he pours this jell into it. Once it hardens he removes it and uses it as a mold to make the new socket.
He's lined the socket with a old style sock that he'll glue into the socket. Then he pours this jell into it. Once it hardens he removes it and uses it as a mold to make the new socket.
OP
Here's my current check socket being used to cast a new mold for a 10mm smaller socket.
Now the trick is to be able to remove the mold without breaking the socket.
Now the trick is to be able to remove the mold without breaking the socket.
OP
To get the mold out of the socket he had to cut the socket on both sides and split it open. You can see the glue lines down both sides.
But then he epoxied the socket back together so there is glue all over the inside of the socket.
That makes it VERY HARD to slide into the socket because the socks stick to the glue. So I've been sitting here with sandpaper trying to get all the residual glue removed. Thought it would be a Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am but it's a PITA getting it all off.
But then he epoxied the socket back together so there is glue all over the inside of the socket.
That makes it VERY HARD to slide into the socket because the socks stick to the glue. So I've been sitting here with sandpaper trying to get all the residual glue removed. Thought it would be a Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am but it's a PITA getting it all off.
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OP
Picked up my new socket today. Andy, my prothesis had to make some adjustments to it. He does this by heating it up and then molding it to fit as needed.
Some use a heat gun to heat up the socket but Andy likes a butane torch as he feels it works faster.
Of course, we wait for a few before I slip my leg back into the socket.
Some use a heat gun to heat up the socket but Andy likes a butane torch as he feels it works faster.
Of course, we wait for a few before I slip my leg back into the socket.
OP
Wore my socket for a week and couldn't find anything wrong with it so it's going back so my permeant sockets can be made. my prosthesis had gotten the design sleeves back so I got to see them yesterday.
For my everyday wear socket wrap is this design.
And then my motorcycle socket wrap looks like this.
We lay them out over the socket to make sure that the layout of the design will fit all the curves and dips of the socket. So I should have my new sockets in a couple of weeks depending on how busy the socket guy is.
For my everyday wear socket wrap is this design.
And then my motorcycle socket wrap looks like this.
We lay them out over the socket to make sure that the layout of the design will fit all the curves and dips of the socket. So I should have my new sockets in a couple of weeks depending on how busy the socket guy is.
OP
Picked up my new socket today. Will wear it for a week or so and then as long as everything is OK with it the other two sockets will get made. The design turned out great IMO and this time he'd used a duller finish on it. Also got a new latch system to try out. We'll see how I like it in a few days.
OP
I had an appointment with my prosthesis yesterday about my new sockets. We discussed how the new socket was working and if he should make any changes to the other two sockets.
I told him no that for the most part this new socket was working fine. So he'll be making the other two now. While I was there we also worked on my sporr foot. Got it setup for the new latch system and the quick change adapter.
I'm seriously stoked that I can wear the sporr foot again. I'd missed it's lighter weight and the flex and energy storage it has.
I'm also participating in another study at the CLIMB center.
This study involves your spouse/family member/caregiver.
They're exploring the possibility of having them using a digital scanner to gather a image of your limb for the purpose of making a new socket. The goal is to cut down on the amount of trips that the veteran has to make to the VA care facility.
They would send you all the required items to scan the limb. Plus measurements devices to measure the limb at different spots.
The scanner is married to a IPad and when you would be doing the measuring you'd be conducting a Zoom session with a prosthesis at the VA.
For myself my daughter participated and did the scanning and measurements.
I'm picking up the check socket next week from the VA.
I told him no that for the most part this new socket was working fine. So he'll be making the other two now. While I was there we also worked on my sporr foot. Got it setup for the new latch system and the quick change adapter.
I'm seriously stoked that I can wear the sporr foot again. I'd missed it's lighter weight and the flex and energy storage it has.
I'm also participating in another study at the CLIMB center.
This study involves your spouse/family member/caregiver.
They're exploring the possibility of having them using a digital scanner to gather a image of your limb for the purpose of making a new socket. The goal is to cut down on the amount of trips that the veteran has to make to the VA care facility.
They would send you all the required items to scan the limb. Plus measurements devices to measure the limb at different spots.
The scanner is married to a IPad and when you would be doing the measuring you'd be conducting a Zoom session with a prosthesis at the VA.
For myself my daughter participated and did the scanning and measurements.
I'm picking up the check socket next week from the VA.
OP
Finally picked up my new socket today. This is the leg I wear when riding my Harley. It's setup for boots with a taller heel like motorcycle boots or cowboy boots or snowpaks.
While I was visiting with my prostheses, and he was checking things he noticed a noise coming from my foot. So, he pulled everything apart to look at the moving parts of the foot itself. Then he went and checked, and I'd gotten this foot on 08/2019 which makes it just over 3 years old. He couldn't find anything broken or that the carbon fiber blades were delaminating. But he did notice some movement in the bushings. Since the Ossur Pro-Pivot is a fairly new product there isn't any projected life span for it. But he thinks with the amount of activity I do and the stuff I do like moving engine & drivetrain parts that a 3-year life span about right. So, I'll have to get in contact with the VA here in next month or so and get them to authorize me getting a new foot. The MSRP on this foot is $20K and the VA pays about $16K for it.
The other COOL thing is that he's been using a new process to make the socket and uses a mix of kevlar and carbon fiber which makes the socket even lighter than just the carbon fiber type.
While I was visiting with my prostheses, and he was checking things he noticed a noise coming from my foot. So, he pulled everything apart to look at the moving parts of the foot itself. Then he went and checked, and I'd gotten this foot on 08/2019 which makes it just over 3 years old. He couldn't find anything broken or that the carbon fiber blades were delaminating. But he did notice some movement in the bushings. Since the Ossur Pro-Pivot is a fairly new product there isn't any projected life span for it. But he thinks with the amount of activity I do and the stuff I do like moving engine & drivetrain parts that a 3-year life span about right. So, I'll have to get in contact with the VA here in next month or so and get them to authorize me getting a new foot. The MSRP on this foot is $20K and the VA pays about $16K for it.
The other COOL thing is that he's been using a new process to make the socket and uses a mix of kevlar and carbon fiber which makes the socket even lighter than just the carbon fiber type.
OP
No, the foot isn't rebuildable so it'll have to be replaced at some point or if I don't, I could end up with some serious death wobble. The more serious part is that if I don't replace it that it could break on me when I was walking or trying to carry something heavy and end up hurting myself worse. The MSRP is $20K while the VA's cost is $16K due to the volume they buy. It doesn't cost me anything.
OP
Yes but think about the people with shitty insurance or even OK insurance. They have to pay thru the nose and most times the insurance companies won't authorize the new foot or socket until the person is going crazy.
OP
Not the POINT. There is and it's what they cost. I'm lucky that I have the VA footing my bills for stuff like this.