When the horrid man told me he was going to saw my leg off, he also told me I’d never walk again. Thanks to our NHS and the wonders of modern medicine/engineering, he’s been proven wrong.
What I’ve Got
Knee joint: Ottobock 3r60 pro
Hip joint: Ottobock 7e9
I’ve found that the biggest barrier to overcome has been how uncomfortable the socket is, particularly over long periods of time. So far I have three tips which have made things much more manageable:
(i) Ask your prosthetist to switch the internal cushioning to memory foam. Soft foam cushions feel nicer to the touch, but you sit right through it and effectively have your weight on the hard plastic underneath.
(ii) start carrying a small pillow everywhere you go, put it under your good side when wearing the leg. Because the socket is quite thick the pillow makes you less wonky and also takes weight off your bad side.
If you’re worried about looking weird, you can ask your Prosthetist for a small cube of memory foam (15x15cms) and get a tailor to cover it in black material.
(iii) men only – get a tailor to stitch the empty leg of your boxer shorts in the same way that this guy does his trouser leg. It stops the material bunching up under your bum.
What I Want
I’m embarrassingly far from being an expert here.
Ottobock seem to be the best. This guy can walk stair over stair on his Helix 3D hip joint. Amazing stuff.
The bikini socket from Martin Bionics looks like a game changer to me. From what I understand, the NHS will get me one if I’m nice to them. The same company have also just released the socket-less socket. More on that to come I hope.
Ossur lead the field on bionics. Check out this amazing short film from the economist. Spoiler alert: there’s a bloke out there with a bionic ankle and it looks like there’s another who will be walking around on a bionic knee pretty soon. Very exciting.
HIP DON'T HOP 
He wasn’t horrid – he was very very nice! We were both in awe of this man who left us thinking ‘what a great guy’ in spite of the fact that he had just told us that he would have to amputate your leg. Lovely Dr. Gill!
(He was ill informed on the wonders of modern prosthetics though)
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Hey Very impressed with your website, as a fellow hip disarticulation owner it Looks like I’m a month and a half behind you with pretty much the same kit with one exception ,I have a Jay Martins Bikini hip, took delivery in Preston at the end of March, looks like our paths are very similar to date , I have a pair of Discovery crutches and a mountain bike trike lever-driven wheelchair rather than a recumbent bike, haven’t had a go at climbing yet but am four lessons into skiing, that’s proving to be a challenge. You do know your not going to get many followers as we fall into only less than 2% of the amputee population, will watch your website progress with interest.
Regards
Paul
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Hi.
Have been an HD since 1971.
In the process of getting a new prosthesis.
Helix D3 ,do not care for it.
Genium Knee.Like a lot.Have Orig.CLeg now.
Martin Bikini Cast.Issues with Iliac pressure points,as well as my sitting bone,and Pubis area.
How do you like your Martin Bikini.
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Hi Horst,
Sorry only just picked up your message, sounds like you have the Rolls Royce of a leg there the bikini hip is a challenge getting it to be comfortable to sit in is going to require more work, so sounds familiar, the sitting bone area is the most sensitive. I guess it’s a question of how well you got sewn up,the first cast was less than six months post op so my shape has changed considerably, will all the swelling going down now,next cast mid December so should get a much better result then. Otherwise the rest of the leg assembly is working fine ,its as free as it gets so you have to pay attention all the time you are moving or you are on the floor in a heap. The funniest sight this summer was me in the garden with a backpack weed sprayer lost my balance went over doing a very good impression of a dead ant ,unable to get up until help arrived, makes me smile even now. Walking with the prosthetic for me will always require a stick I think just for security.
This is an exciting week because in 10 days time am off ski-Ing to Austria using three track with outriggers, a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, walking on snow and ice will be a first, I’ll let you know how I get on
Regards
Paul
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Hi guys, thanks for both of your comments! I don’t actually have a helix, that’s just my wish list – you can count yourself a lucky guy with that set-up Horst!
Paul, your falling over story sounds familiar. Great that you’re managing to see the funny side!
I’m having a new socket made in January and the prosthesist reckons more ‘contoring’ will make it more comfortable. Do either of you have any thoughts on that?
Cheers,
Justin
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I think we should get our prothestisys in a room together and beat the shit out of them
We forget that they don’t know anymore than we do about our conditions, that’s medicine ,
Our doctors look at us as experiments and so they should, its up to us to give them the best feedback but not be shy in doing so. I asked my surgeon how many of these amputation he did in a year, it was less than 2, so long as we understand the part we play the better the result. Be part not take part I think. We will get better answers and better results.
I thought the bikini hip was the be all and end all of what was available but after talking to my prosthetist I’m not so sure, it was more about what works together and why push the marketing blurb aside. I think it important more of the end users get together and have a chat then come up with real world ideas, just a thought
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Your prosthetist is right better fit more control more confidence better result. The Martins Bikini hip helps cut down the total weight which is also a factor, I took the view weight was critical to performance but now I’m not so sure, I think fit and comfort come first, you need to want to wear your prosthetic not make excuses why it doesn’t fit so well. My guy made and interesting point in that in his view he got better results from mixing and matching pylons and joints from a range of manufactures gave better than advertised results. Having said that I really happy with my Ottobock set up.
Big week coming up with skiing, have made a harness to work on a pomma button lift, taking it to the ChillfactorE in Manchester to see if they will let me test it out, I struggled last time to use the lift as it kept popping out from under my air arse so Im hoping this might be a solution .
Regards
Paul
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Hi guys, two years ago I search for the better hip socket solution for my patient. I contactted Jay Martin. He helped me with some advices. I took basic idea of Bikini socket with some changes. Helix, C-Leg 3. gen and this socket, great result. Much better control of the prosthesis, safety, cosmetic aperriance but it takes highly experienced prosthetist with open mind.
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What changes did you make to the socket?? I’m just going through the process of my second socket being fabricated a year after our first attempt, the guys at Preston have been great and I think number two should be a great improvement, the rest of the leg is much of a muchness how heavy it all is as well as how well the socket fits I think are the key. Any way just eat my way through a mega Christmas dinner and collapsed into bed, all the best to us Hip Don’t hoppers this night and for 2017, got some great challenges lined up for 2017, one is to have Justin a ski race, he can choose the disabling and distance – oh is that a glove I hear hitting the floor?
Regards
Paul
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How happy are you today, a year later. I’m an HD and have struggled to find a socket that I could actually be okay sitting in. I have a Helix Hip & C-leg but need a good prosthetist for socket design. Any recommendations?
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