Not All Amputees Are The Same

As a practitioner in the field for 26 years, I always see patient's that try to compare themselves to "how other people are doing". I guess it is human nature to have some measure of how they are progressing. My response is always the same.Walking with a prosthesis is a physical activity, and no two people respond in the same way. It is a bad idea to compare your progress to someone else. There are too many variables that can effect outcomes. Instead, work with your practitioner to develop small achievable goals. For some people, donning the device independently is a major achievement. For others, nothing short of running a marathon will do. Most patient's will find themselves somewhere in between, and honestly, that is OK!

The key to not getting frustrated with your progress is to keep an open line of communication with your practitioner. We are here to help, and believe me, we value your input. Be honest. Let them know about any struggles you are having. We can be very creative with solutions, if we know that there is an issue. Be patient as well. We are putting a mechanical device on a body part that is constantly in a state of change. Some days will be better than others. In the end, returning you to your level of function is our goal. Help us to meet that goal, and pretty soon other patient's will compare themselves to you!