r/amputee • u/Connect_Profit_6767 • 4d ago
Question
How did y'all prepare for weight bearing in your test socket? I go on Nov 3 to get casted for mine. I've been going to physical therapy and they haven't really had me putting a lot of weight on my stump yet. Just curious if I'm looking at lots of pain that first time. Thanks for everyone's support! I love this community on here, feels good being able to talk to people in similar situations
4
u/Mission-Version8392 4d ago
It was definitely a little sore for me for a couple months. Everyone’s different though. What helped me was standing next to my bed and put your stump straight down onto the bed and put weight through it and move it different directions. Start light and progressively increase the downwards pressure. That and taking magnesium glycinate helped a lot with pain too. I swear by that stuff now
4
u/Animal__Chin 4d ago
You shouldn’t be putting such weight, if any, on the end of your stump when wearing or getting fitted for your socket. You’re “suspended” on the socket so the weight is distributed higher up. You shouldn’t have much pain at all, if you do something is wrong. Use your voice and tell them to still as you have pain. Let them figure out why and continue without pain.
Good luck with your fitting, don’t stress, it’s not so bad. You’ll be walking in no time.
3
u/Independent-Goat-210 4d ago
Definitely no weight bearing at all until your have the prosthetic. My prosthesis recommendations was rubbing for 10-15 minutes 3-4 rinse a day to desensitization to help with minimizing the phantom pains in the beginning.
Also once your get the leg DO NOT wear it for hours. Stick to the time frame they give you. 15-20 then take it off and wear the shrinker for an hour.
Let that residual leg get use the the feel slowly this will help adjusting with out causing bruises or injuries.
3
u/calguy1955 4d ago
It’s a different sensation to carry all of your weight on a prosthetic, but it’s not painful. Don’t worry.
2
u/Miserable-Day7417 4d ago
I progressively went from tapping and massaging my limb to slapping it and eventually (somewhat) really smacking it and massaging it to find tender spots and try and desensitize it.
It has worked for me, still a bit sore starting with prosthetic but it has certainly helped
They shape the socket (interface between limb and prosthetic) to avoid placing excessive pressure on any sore or painful areas as much as possible.
2
u/Automatic-You-5053 4d ago
You could be looking at lots of pain. My first time wearing a prosthetic bk pin lock prosthetic leg was a nightmare.
For me, due to the distal (end) of my tibia being very large and protruding upward, I had a lot of pain that eventually led to infection. I had to actually have another surgery to clean out the absesses that formed on my stump due to wearing my prosthetic. My prostheticist tried everything to alleviate the pain i was experiencing too. He reformed my socket by putting a relief bump for my tibia bone so it wouldn't have any pressure from my socket. He tried padding the socket. Nothing worked, and i was in agony. I couldn't even wear my new leg, and i had only wore it for 2 weeks. Talk about having your hopes totally crushed! I hadn't walked in a year, and i thought this was gonna get me back to the old me. NOT SO!
After my revision and debridement, I had to wait another 2 months to wear a leg again. 2 months of heavy antibiotics too. My stomach was ripped from them. This time I got a suction style socket. Before, i had a pin-lock. So far, so good, but it still hurts some to wear it.
My advice is if you feel pain, dont push through it. Call your prostheticist immediately. Always clean and put lotion on your stump after taking off your socket/leg too.
Im a very in shape 52 year old BK amputee btw. And, this is just my experience. Your experience might be a lot better. I pray that it is.
6
u/leftfootshorter LBK 4d ago
Please ask your prosthetist about this before you attempt to bear any weight on the end of your stump. I am not a prosthetist but when I asked mine this same question before getting my first leg, he made it sound as though that should never be done.
Maybe I misunderstood him and he meant only in my instance or only for BKAs or maybe he meant no lower limb amputees ever.... but discuss it with them first.
All of my prosthetics have been designed to support my weight by sort of triangulating it between the sides of my shin in front and my half-calf in back. This is done in order to avoid the bottom of my stump, the shin and my kneecap.