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Amputation

Cosmetic prostheses

02/23/2009

Question:

MY FINANCE IS A T-10 PARAPLEGIC AND KNOW ALSO A DOUBLE ABOVE THE KNEE AMPUTEE. SHE WANTS TO GET PROSTHETIC LEGS FOR COMESTIC PURPOSES. DO THEY MAKE THIS TYPE OF LEG AND IF SO WHAT ARE THEY CALLED?

Answer:

Cosmetic prostheses are certainly available, but their cost is usually not covered by insurance. Another consideration is that sometimes a person wearing cosmetic lower limb prostheses can forget they are not designed to bear weight, which creates a potential fall risk if they attempt to stand with them.

Your fiancee's desire to obtain a pair of above-the-knee cosmetic prostheses should be discussed with her physician, and/or with a local prosthetist.

For more information:

Go to the Amputation health topic, where you can:

Response by:

The Ohio State University Brian L. Bowyer, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical PM&R
The OSU Sports Medicine Center
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
Brian L. Bowyer, MD