Veterans and other people with lower limb amputations who wear prostheses often experience fluctuations in residual limb volume. They adjust for the resulting changes in fit and comfort of their prosthetic sockets throughout the day using prosthetic socks of varying thickness. However, this can be difficult for a recent amputee to manage. Too few or too many socks can create increased pressure on the end of the limb, making it difficult to determine when to add or remove socks. Incorrect use of socks can lead to skin damage and serious complications, such as non-healing wounds.
To address this issue, Billie Savvas Slater, MA, Ed, CCRC, developed the Prosthetic Sock Management Tool (PSMT). Slater is a research health science specialist and innovation specialist at the Veterans’ Administration in Minneapolis, MN, and the senior research study coordinator for the Minneapolis Adaptive Design and Engineering (MADE) Program.
The PSMT is to be used by VA prosthetists to help educate their patients on the proper use of prosthetic socks following lower limb amputation and then by the patients as they manage their use of prosthetic socks. It consists of several different components, including a multi-zippered bag with 3 pouches for storage of socks of different thicknesses, an infographic on both proper sock usage and care, instructional videos, and reminders for fit checks
