Up-to-date information about Hanger Clinic’s response
Overview of Upper Limb Prostheses
Description
This one hour introductory level course for PT/PTA, OT/OTA, RN, Case Managers and other health care professionals is a foundational overview of upper limb prosthetics that will serve as a good refresher course for the occupational and/or physical therapist to help guide them in the evaluation process. The focus of the presentation is the prosthetic options available for an individual with either transradial or transhumeral level upper limb loss, while clinical decision making will be discussed in another presentation. This presentation will discuss the benefits and limitations of the various prosthetic options in relation to the patient’s injury and goals. It is essential to remember that no one specific device will address all activities and goals of an individual. With the knowledge gained from this presentation, the therapist will be a valuable asset to the prosthetist, working as a team to maximize functional outcome.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Recall common terms associated with upper limb prosthetics
- Identify and describe levels of amputations of the upper limb
- Describe the design and structure of an upper limb prosthesis, comparing prosthetic options
- Summarize the benefits and limitations of body powered and myoelectric prosthetic systems
- Explain rehabilitation plans for the prosthesis