How did prosthetics start?
History has shown people love to take on challenges. They have found a problem and tried to find a way to solve it. It’s just human nature to want to make life better for anyone dealing with an obstacle. That’s precisely what has happened with prosthetics. Some people believe that prosthetics could have started as early as 1500 B.C. with basic wooden crutches. From that basic starting point, doctors and scientists worked diligently to find ways to make improvements. A wooden leg attachment was found dating back to about 300 B.C., which appears designed for a below the knee amputee. The Renaissance period found significant improvements with the introduction of iron, steel, and copper. The new material turned into more functional prosthetics. During the 1500s, movable joints were developed making them far more useful. The development has continued and accelerated during the Civil War and World War II. So many veterans were in need of prosthetics innovations become far more common.
How has technology advances improved options for prosthetics?
Prosthetics have changed considerably since the days of wooden pegs for legs and metal hooks. People have far more function in replacement legs, hands, and arms. Through improvements, we have seen everything from a double amputee run in the Olympics to another becoming a popular international model. Prosthetic hands have gone from wooden models to real looking myoelectric models with movable fingers. People are now able to participate in more sports, play musical instruments, and many other activities that weren’t an option before. One type of prosthetic becoming more popular is the hybrid. Combining multiple systems together gives each patient the best solution possible.
What’s next for prosthetic advancements?
As we just talked about, doctors and manufacturers are finding creative ways to come up with even better options. When searching for a prosthetic company, it’s imperative to find one that is always using and searching for the latest technology. Fit Well located in Salt Lake City, Utah is one of the companies providing the best option for prosthetics. Everyone knows how significantly the world has changed as a result of improved technology. Prosthetics is one of the areas that has seen drastic changes for the better. Fit well has been helping people not only around Salt Lake City, but around the world. As companies like Fit Well continue to find better options people are going to able to do even more.
