Upper Extremity Prosthetics

To provide a prosthesis that gives you the highest degree of function and is the most cosmetically pleasing requires years of dedicated experience and specialized training.  Benchmark’s upper extremity practitioners have fit hundreds of the most challenging myo-electric, body-powered, and cosmetic restoration cases around the world.

Benchmark gives you the most advanced systems available, and a commitment to make you aware of the new technologies and techniques at every stage.  Countless manufacturers including Otto Bock, Utah Arm, Liberty, Hosmer, and Steeper also certify Benchmark Orthotics & Prosthetics.

The types of prostheses described below are only a brief overview of the options available today and should not be considered all-inclusive.  If you have any question regarding these Upper Extremity options, please use our Locations page to locate a Benchmark Orthotics & Prosthetics clinic closest to you for more information.

General options available include:

No Prosthesis

Some individuals choose not to wear a prosthesis.  They find that they can perform all needed tasks without the assistance of a prosthesis.  Many individuals with congenital anomalies are extremely functional, without the use of a prosthesis.  Some feel that since a prosthesis tends to cover the residual limb, there is a loss of normal tactile sensory feedback.  Even though these considerations factor into wearing a prosthesis, many people benefit from some type of appropriate prosthetic management.

Passive Design

Some amputees do not need a dynamic, or active prosthesis.  For those in this group, we have a variety of passive prosthetic options.  A passive prosthesis provides a restoration of body symmetry.  The prosthesis tends to remove the conspicuous nature of an injury or limb loss.  A prosthetic adds weight to the human torso, which balances out the spine for better alignment.  It also offers protection to the residual limb.  These types of prosthesis can be designed, very simply or can be dramatic life like restorations.  Many times these silicone cosmetic restorations are obvious to the majority of the people who encounter them.

At Benchmark we use only the finest materials available to fabricate these cosmetic restorations.  In casting, we often use the sound side to duplicate the design from the involved side.  Details, right down to the fingerprints are copied into the restoration.  The prosthesis is painted and highlighted with you and the artist “in person” in order to assure a very close match in skin color and texture.  We even include hair if desired. 

Some advantages to passive designs include; little or no harnessing for suspension, low maintenance, and is made of very durable materials.  Disadvantages of a passive prosthesis include; no active control of a terminal device and limitation of bi-manual activities.  Generally speaking, passive silicone restorations used in partial hands is recognized to restore some limited functional capabilities.

Myo-electric/External Powered Prosthesis

This prosthetic design eliminates the need for a harness system to capture motion in order to control the terminal devices and elbow.  Today, there are numerous methods and control mechanisms which relay information to the terminal device hand and elbow.  Myo-electric uses surface electrodes to pick-up signals from the remaining musculature in the residual limb.  These signals are used to tell the terminal device, wrist rotator or elbow to open or close, or move up or down or rotate.  If a muscle test shows not enough electrical input is available from a particular muscle group, we can use switches or touch pads to operate the componentry.  Currently most newer technology uses some type of micro processor (tiny computer), which allows the prosthetist to customize and refine the signals for operation of the prosthesis.

Externally powered prosthesis use batteries to power motors at the terminal device, wrist and elbow.  The technology in batteries has improved so much, that we now use lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries in many of our designs.  These high tech batteries allow the prosthesis to be used for up to three days between charges. 

Advantages for externally powered prostheses are an increase in grip force available at the hand and the elimination or reduction of a harness surrounding the unaffected side.  It also allows for a larger area or scope of function around the body.  Disadvantages of powered prosthesis include cost, weight, rough duty, and unclean environment. 

Today, with the advent of new processors and the elimination of hard wiring as in previous designs, powered prosthesis are now considered quite dependable and durable.  Additionally, with the new silicone technology available, the cosmetic look of the prosthesis can be matched to resemble the sound side very closely.  Since there is a host of options for terminal devices, wrists, elbows and control mechanisms, we are careful to select only those agreed upon after the amputee has been educated on all of their options.

Activity Specific

Activity specific prostheses encompass any specific activities or needs that have not been addressed through the previously mentioned options.  They may include a particular hobby or interest such as fishing, swimming, golf, skiing, billiards, photography, etc.  They can also be vocation specific, such as construction, crane operator, drummer, or machine operator.  Any task one can think of can usually have a specific prosthesis design that will assist with the operation of ones particular needs.  Many times these designs are very unique to the individual needs and their personality.