Prosthetics help amputees lead easier, independent lives

hree amputees were given the opportunity to try out a state-of-the-art piece of technology Saturday afternoon. The people at Hanger Prosthetics, located at 2451 S. Avenue A, suite 25, invited them to try on the "C-Leg," which is a computerized prosthetic leg intended to help those who have lost a leg above the knee live an easier and more independent life.
 
"We are working to educate the community and medical professionals on how to properly use the C-Leg, and to show that it is available," said Jean Hobkirk, Certified Prosthetist at Hanger Prosthetics.
 
"I've just been fitted with the C-Leg," said Ronald Neu. "So far, I'm getting used to it. It seems like it will give me more confidence than my old leg because I couldn't trust it. The leg that I have been using is just a mechanical system, and it is very easy to trip and go flying on your face before you get used to it."
 
Neu lost his leg while serving the country after being drafted in Vietnam.
 
"I was a radio operator, and the truck I was riding in hit a land mine," he said. "It got blown out from under me. That was back in 1969 at the end of my first year in the army. I've been an amputee for forty years. My first leg was made out of wood, and was very heavy. Later, they switched to lighter alloys, and eventually started using fiber glass."
 
While Neu thinks the C-leg is great, he only gets to wear it for the day because of the hefty price tag associated with it. The next day, he said he'll be back to his old reliable.
 
"My other leg only has a piston, and doesn't have any computers built in," he said. "This is a fantastic leg. It allows confidence, and I'm spending the day learning to trust it. It's very expensive but I can see why the army is giving it to all of the amputees returning from the Iraq war. I hope the VA will make them available to Vietnam Vets someday. The price is worth it because it makes walking easier, and gives you better mobility. When you lose a leg above the knee, it makes walking around very hard. The C-Leg is terrific, it lets you return to a sense of normalcy."
 
A "return to normalcy" was the goal behind the creation of the C-Leg all along said Dr. James W. Breaky, an educational consultant for prosthetic legs.
 
"With the old style hydro-mechanical knee, the patient must constantly be aware of what they are doing," he said. "They have to concentrate on each step. With the C-Leg, when a patient moves, it responds and adjusts. Whether it's being used to walk up or down stairs, or if the speed at which a patient is walking changes."
 
According to Otto Bock, the company that manufactures and distributes the C-Leg, it utilizes microprocessors to control the knees hydraulic function 50 times per second. The C-Leg gives back incredible stability and mobility to those with lower limb loss.
 
"Information coming from sensors placed in the ankle and knee sensors is analyzed, and the microchips communicate the changes to the hydraulic valve processor, which will then change its resistance level during walking," said Dr. Breaky. "It responds to the patients particular need at each moment. This is so revolutionary because it brings the patient back into real time."

In time, as the patient learns to trust the device, their fears and insecurities begin to disappear. The new prosthesis can be an extension of self, and is incorporated into a new body image. Instead of one's attention being turned inward all the time, they can start to be more aware of the world around them; which is freedom. It gives users an opportunity to be more active."
 
"It brings back the normality of your life," said Robert Jordan, a longtime user of the C-Leg. "The knee has the ability to bring a part of the life back an amputee has thought they have lost. It does this depending on how hard a person wants their life back. I wanted my life back, and I've spent the last 20 years doing it. It takes a lot of determination and willpower. Every patient is unique, but are given the ability to reach their goals with this technology.

"This has absolutely changed my life. Before the C-Leg, I went through 40 legs. I fell at least three times a day, and now with the C-leg I've fallen four times in the last eight years. The best contribution is the mental aspect. An amputee goes from looking at the ground while walking to looking around at everything else."