CONSULTATION
You will have a private consultation with our prosthetist and the team, where you will begin a relationship with Purple Prosthetics. They will tell you all there is to know about our company and answer any questions you may have. We will gather clinical and personal background information from you. This includes your address, phone number, height, weight, age, prescribing physician, hobbies, goals and your medical history. We will take some necessary pictures and have you sign some documents in order for us to provide your care. We will then welcome you to the Purple Rebel family and schedule an evalution appointmentfor you.
EVALUATION & CASTING
At evaluation you will meet your prosthetist. We will review the information that we have gathered and we will do some standard testing on you. They will consult and discuss the prosthetic options available to you based on our professional assessment of your strength, activity level, and goals. Prior to casting, we also examine your residual limb for any prominent bones, sensitive areas, and swelling. It is extremely important that your edema (swelling) is controlled when we take a cast of your leg to make the socket. Most of the time you will need to wear a shrinker for days, sometimes weeks, to get fluid out of your residual limb. At this point our prosthetist will discuss pricing and payment options with you, Once your residual limb is at a consistent volume we will take measurements and take a cast. We will also take measurements of your sound leg to ensure the height of the prosthesis is accurate.
INITIAL FITTING & ALIGNMENT
During this appointment you will be fitted with a test socket that was made from the cast of your residual limb. This is called a “check socket”. It is used to check the fit of the prosthesis on your residual limb. During this appointment, we will need the shoes you will be wearing the most often with your prosthesis, just in case we want you to do some walking on the check socket. At this time, we will check for correct height and also change the alignment of the prosthesis. Changing the alignment means that we make changes which will improve your gait (how you walk) and give you the greatest stability and comfort. Depending on the situations encountered during this appointment, you may possibly need another check socket made, which will mean an additional visit.
FINAL FITTING & DELIVERY
During this appointment you will be fitted with your new custom prosthesis along with some prosthetic supplies. Your practitioner will educate you on the proper donning/doffing (putting on/taking off) of your prosthesis and proper care of the device. If this is your first prosthesis, do not expect to wear it for a long period of time. We recommend a short period of time the first day and gradually increase the wearing time each day. You should check the skin on your residual limb often for signs of irritation or redness. Redness over a large area that dissipates after removal of the prosthesis is usually normal. If you have localized redness caused by pressure that lasts more than 15-20 minutes, please contact our office ASAP so that the correct changes can be made. At Purple Prosthetics, we believe THERAPY is vital to ensure our patients success in achieving his/her
goals. It is important to work hard in therapy, even well after delivery. If you do not have therapy in place, we can provide you with therapy options. Your practitioner will schedule a follow up appointment.
FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENT
Our Purple prosthetics practitioner will schedule a follow-up for 1-2 weeks after you have received your prosthesis. At this time, we will address any concerns or problems you may be having. If you begin to experience discomfort at any time contact your Patient Care Coordinator to schedule an earlier appointment.
CONTINUING YOUR CARE
By being a part of our purple rebel family you will meet and speak with several members of Purple Prosthetics throughout your journey. Our caring team will be with you at every step, as we want to see you continue to take “A Step in the Right Direction.”
***If you begin to experience discomfort, remember that your prosthesis has not changed. It is more likely that your residual limb has undergone a physical change. Your prosthesis was designed to fit your residual limb’s unique shape. If your limb is not in the socket properly or if the shape of your residual limb has changed, it can be uncomfortable. Often adding or removing prosthetic socks can relieve the discomfort of this.***