Sincerely,
Paul Gilman
C.E.O. PPR

Thanks for sharing your personal story. Congratulations on overcoming the challenges that have come your way. Am I being TOO positive to say that once we make it through these hard times, we grow in so many ways?

I bet you are excited about being fitted with the Genium. That’s some pretty cool technology. I have had the opportunity to work with it some. You are right in your thinking that the socket fit is a hugely important part of the process. I have a bit of a hard time knowing what to say; perhaps having some frank discussions with your prosthetist before getting started would be your best move.

As for our techniques, funny you should ask because our 5 Certified Prosthetists (3 in Tennessee, 1 from South Carolina/Georgia and 1 from Texas, all gathered in Nashville today and spent 10 straight hours working on and talking about nothing but above-knee socket style and fitting techniques. We are continuing tomorrow. Obviously we are very committed to being the best we can be! I must say though that there definitely is no magic answer. Probably the two most important things I would look for in a prosthetist would not only be experience but also his/her willingness to buckle in and go hard until it was as good as can be. With there being no exact answer, hard work and making the effort to keep up with the best techniques is probably the way for us to get our best results.

Good luck! Matt
____________________
Matthew A. Bulow, CP
Bulow BioTech Prosthetics
100 Kenner Ave
Nashville, TN 37205

P.S. I lost my leg in a motorcycle crash. I was struck by a van who ran a light.
I too have overcome some obsticals early in life, as I was born with a backwards heart and had transposition of the great arteries at an early age.
This year after my crash, I was told I’d need a transplant, but got an update that my heart has actually recovered from the surgerys and I will only need a defibulator.
Thank you for sharing, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks for having the confidence in us to get our opinion during this important time for your family. In my experience, I have NOT seen cases where a company has pressured/forced a person to return to work after the Worker’s Comp insurance has provided the person with an appropriate prosthesis. I really look at it more from the amputee’s perspective, and that is, getting the best prosthetic result possible to put him in POSITION to do what he chooses to and is able to do with the rest of his life. Although we have fit both the Genium knee and the Power Knee, we have also had great results with both the Rheo Knee and the C-Leg and have had a better percentage of success getting approval for these units. Part of this is because even Medicare covers these two knees so there isn’t much basis for a Worker’s Comp carrier not to cover them after an employee has been injured on the job. To make the best determination of which knee unit would be best for your father, I would need to see him in the clinic and get a complete feel for the case.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. In the meantime, feel free to check out our website (www.bulowbiotech.com) and our Facebook page to get more information on above-knee prosthetics.

Good luck,
Matt

What will be the logic behind forcing a 64 year old man to operate heavy machinery again, while learning to ambulate with a computer knee.

I just wanted to know if you have had much experience in workers compensation patience having these types responses to workers receiving these knees being forced back to work.

You will not get powered plantar-flexion of the ankle during biking, but you do get the ankle articulation making is easier to peddle instead of being constantly in a fixed position. Thanks for your interest and please keep in touch if we can help you in any way. Matt

What is a gel liner? How do I use one?

A prosthetic gel liner looks like a gel covered sock that you roll onto your residual limb. It may be made completely of gel, but most of the time it has a fabric covered outside. It is used as an interface to pad your limb and make the prosthesis more comfortable. Many times it also has a pin attached to the end, or a rubber seal around the perimeter which holds the prosthesis onto your limb. A gel liner can be made of silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, or urethane. Each type of material has its own positive properties. Silicone and thermoplastic elastomer liners are the most widely used and work well with suction or pinlock suspension. These liners are usually placed directly against the skin without the use of any lotion. Urethane liners are a good choice for suction or vacuum sockets, as they have greater flow characteristics. The urethane liner is used with lotion and is the typical choice when a custom made liner is needed. Your practitioner will measure your limb and order the appropriately sized liner. If your limb is very conical or irregular, it may be necessary to use a custom made liner. In that case the practitioner will take a cast of your limb and send it off to be made.

Each day, you should put on a clean, dry gel liner. I recommend having two and alternating them each day to increase their life span. To clean the liner, turn it inside out and wash the gel side every day with warm water and mild soap. Rinse it thoroughly, turn it right side out, and hang or lay flat to dry. Once a week, wipe the gel side of the liner with rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth. You can expect a pair of gel liners to last around 6-12 months. For very active patients they may need to be replaced sooner.

Bobby Latham, CP BOCO