FEATURE STORY
BILATERAL LIFE CAMP THRIVES
Bilateral Life Camp continues to expand and thrive each year; welcoming many new individuals with bilateral above knee limb loss who are highly motivated and seeking a higher level of mobility independence. The foundation of each prosthesis is the design and fit of the socket interface. The advanced clinical team at Dream Team Prosthetics has developed a unique approach to the fitting process for individuals with bilateral above knee limb loss that can lead to being a full time prosthetic user with greater independent mobility!
We encourage each participant to interact with each session as we conduct open discussion on various limb loss related topics.
The main exercise is to identify individual goals and provide one on one peer support to help each participant meet or exceed their unique mobility goals. Many educational activities take place out in the community in real life scenarios for maximum progress.
It is always exciting to watch the power of peer support in action as each day brings exciting new experiences and daily life challenges.
The foundation of mobility for any individual with limb loss is the design and fit of the prosthetic socket interface. For the most efficient results, the socket must be globally fit to the residual limb so that it is secure and provides support and control without compromising range of motion and movement.
Facing fear and anxiety is the first step to overcoming and regaining control of your circumstances. Each person with bilateral above knee limb loss can relate to where a person is in the rehabilitation process and can help them navigate through the challenges by providing peer support.
We can't overemphasis the value of using fore-shortened prostheses or "stubbies" in daily life. At first, these are a necessary tool that is vital to building up strength, balance and endurance.
Making the commitment to use the "stubbies" full time in daily life will only help to improve mobility independence and will prepare the user for transitioning into full length microprocessor controlled hydraulic knees in the future.
Everybody wants to rush through using the "stubbies", but the fact is, the longer a person is using them, the more prepared they will be for the next phase of their rehabilitation with full length legs.
To help gauge your progress, when you are able to use the "stubbies" from 10-18 hours a day, everyday consistently and you are able to navigate long distances without fatigue and you can carry things like groceries up and down curbs, hills and stairs independently day after day, then you can consider transitioning to the next phase.
Bilateral Life Camp gives participants the opportunity to "test drive" different components to see what they are like and to help them understand the benefits of utilizing different components.
It is also important to understand that all sockets are not created equal. It takes a high level of knowledge and experience from the prosthetist to understand how to design effective bilateral above knee prosthetic sockets that actually work together in unison to provide the user with the most efficient results.
Bilateral Life Camp continues to grow and expand each year as more and more individuals are interested in obtaining a new level of mobility independence with bilateral above knee prosthetics. Our group of peer mentors also continues to grow, allowing for more productive interactions during each session. At Dream Team Prosthetics, we are proud to lead the way for innovative and effective prosthetic solutions and training methods that continue to benefit individuals with bilateral above knee limb loss!
