The History of Prosthetics

The oldest known prosthetic body part is a toe! It is made of wood and leather. It was found on a female mummy buried near Luxor in Cairo Egypt.

A Dutch surgeon developed a lower leg prosthesis with specialized hinges and a leather cuff for improved attachment to the body.

The advent of gaseous anesthesia allowed them to operate on the limb stump in such a way as to prepare it for interfacing with a prosthesis.

The reason for growth in the prosthetic industry in the 1860's was deadlier bullets, and due to the civil war there was a greater demand for them.

James Edward Hanger designed and built a new lightweight leg from whittled barrel staves. His innovative leg had hinges at the knee and foot , which helped him to sit more comfortably and to walk with a more natural gait.

Wood and steel were the materials of choice for replacement limbs until about 1863, with the introduction of the cosmetic rubber hand.

Prosthetic feet were made of a wood core with a foam and rubber outer shell. It offered little lateral movement.

Developed by Van Phillips, Flex Foots carbon graphite technology essentially put a spring in the wearers step. It allowed amputees to jump, walk, and run at speeds up to 28 feet per second.

Dean Kamen's 'Luke Arm' that uses foot controls that work simultaneously with sensors in the devices sockets. Wearers use the foot controls like a joystick to access the mechanical arm's range of motion.

Today's technology is so sophisticated because they have came up with more materials that are stronger, more flexible, lighter weight, and more durable. The various ways they work are:
1.- The carbon graphite stores kinetic energy in each step allowing amputees to walk, run, and jump faster.
2.- Robotics or bionics can produce energies greater than what a spring can produce.
3.- The SACH foot stores little to no energy nor returns little to no energy.