History
Since the start of time humans have faced a horrible decision to make, one of life or death, whether to amputate a severed limb or suffer the consequences. Originally, the purpose of amputating a limb was to prevent the spread of disease as there was really no cure. Amputations were quite frequent for those that wanted to live and it did lower death counts significantly; however, the prosthetics that were then implemented were mainly for a cosmetic purpose and didn’t have any use whatsoever. One of the first signs of prosthetics dates back to an artificial toe found in an excavation in Egypt inside the sarcophagus of a mummy. To fully understand how far prosthetics have come it’s important to note that the reason for prosthetics in Egyptian culture was for the individual to feel as they were whole again.
After the period of the Egyptians, a below-the-knee prosthetic was uncovered in Capua, Italy in 1858. The leg was made from iron and had a wooden core, it’s said to be one of the first prosthetics that served and actual, yet limited purpose. The prosthetic dated back to 300 B.C.
During the Dark Ages through the Renaissance period, prosthetics improved minimally, they were still wooden pegs for the lower extremities and hooks for the hands. Unfortunately, those who had these luxuries were soldiers during the battle. Other than that, prosthetics were quite expensive and not a commodity because they required many skilled hands in order to make such as blacksmiths and watchmakers.
Father of Prosthetics
Despite there being various prosthetics before the 1500s, they really didn’t have a function as the one introduced by Ambroise Paré, a barber and surgeon in the French Army. He not only presented the design that most modern prosthetics stem from but also demonstrated modern surgical procedures for amputating. Paré developed these techniques after having to amputate so many soldiers that were injured in battle during his 30 years in the Royal Army. One of the first prosthetics that he developed was an artificial hand for a soldier. It consisted of springs and catches in order to allow minor movement with the assistance of another hand. The most notable of his inventions was a prosthetic leg that allowed the user to lock the leg while standing; however, the knee would move at will while it wasn’t locked. Still this was a great advancement because the prosthetic had a fixed foot which resulted in greater stability for the user and the ability to use footwear. Further improvements to this model took place when a colleague of Paré replaced the heavy iron that was used for leather, paper and glue. This was a huge step since it also reduced the cost of producing the prosthetic which would then later make it more readily available to other individuals who needed the procedure to be implemented on them. Although Paré is considered to be the first to have manufactured these prosthetics and made them have a greater usability, a Dutch surgeon by the name Pieter Verduyn improved on the design of Paré. Years later, Verduyn would do this by creating the first non-locking prosthetic that would be below the knee. The prosthetic introduced by Verduryn would later serve as model that most modern prosthetics are based off. This is because the prosthetic was notable for having multiple hinges that would allow for a greater range of motion and the leather thigh lacer that would allow the prosthetic to withstand the weight of the user.
1600s – 1800s
During this time period, there were many advancements in the area of prosthetics due to many inventors collaborating and trying to come together to create the most practical and usable prosthetic. Developing these new prosthetics also brought a new approach to shaping the limb when amputating. This was extremely important because that would allow the surgeon to prepare the limb to fit comfortably within the prosthetic which gave the user more comfort and more mobility. Along with the improvement of the prosthetics doctors improved their methods of amputation by only cutting the ankle in certain cases rather than the thigh. This was good news for those that had to go through the procedure because it gave them hope that they would be able to walk by using a prosthetic foot rather than an entire leg. Along with other functional improvements, there were also cosmetic improvements to make the lives of those wearing the prosthetics easier. Benjamin Palmer in 1846 decided that there was no need for gaps between the different pieces of a prosthetic. Palmer improved on the design that was known as the Selpho leg, which was composed of wood, a steel ball, and an articulating foot. Palmer added and anterior spring that would aid in the mobility of the leg and he also smoothed the surface as a way to resemble the natural movements by hiding the tendons. Prior to the advancements that would occur during the American Civil War, Dr. Douglas Bly patented a prosthetic known as Doctor Bly’s anatomical leg in 1858. It was said to be “the most complete and successful invention ever attained in artificial limbs” according to Bly himself. The reason for this was because the prosthetic used a ball and socket design for the ankle for increased mobility. However, the prosthetic was quite expensive since the ball was made of ivory and therefore the United States government did not replace their government issued prosthetics for their wounded soldiers during the Civil War.
Civil War Improvements
At the time of the civil war, a confederate by the name of James Hanger was the first amputee in the war. From this horrific event, he invented the Hanger Limb. This prosthetic at the time was composed of wooden and metal with hinges at the knees and ankles. The design was so successful because it helped him sit comfortably and walk normally, from this Hanger was granted the right to make limbs for confederate veterans. From this, Hangar was able to start his company that now plays a major role in producing prosthetics in the modern day. It can be said that the Civil War put an end to the use of a wooden peg as a prosthetic due to the increased number of methods used to develop better mobility and comfort. After the Civil War the United States government made a deal with military companies to invest their money in finding new methods to develop more advanced prosthetic limbs rather than developing weapons. The reason for this was because the government wanted to be on good terms with veterans and because enhanced methods of developing prosthetics would most likely lower the cost of proucing them, mostly due to the materials that would be used, such as replacing rubber for wooden and other metals.
20th Century Advancements
After the Civil War, Hanger’s company worked with the firm Chas to not only improve the quality of prosthetics but the efficiency at which they were produced. This resulted in assembly line production which definitely helped in the post war period and after the following world wars that would occur. In 1921 the military released the design for a standard leg that all manufacturers would have to follow during production. Later on, stronger and more durable materials were implemented such as duralumin, a lightweight aluminum alloy that was used in aircraft manufacturing. One of the most important development for prosthetics was in 1946 when a suction sock was created for lower-limb amputees at the University of California Berkeley. This was extremely important because it allowed for the user to have a lot more comfort and less friction between the limb and the prosthetic. Doing this was important because less friction would increase the mobility and therefore make the prosthetic be more natural for the user. From the 1970s on, the progress that prosthetics went through was phenomenal. There was the introduction of carbon fiber which would reduce the weight significantly. Thus, this would allow the user to use less energy overtime making the user more compatible to the actual prosthetic itself. There was however a shift in the prosthetics being produced, no longer were all companies trying to produce products that resembled the limbs they were replacing. Instead, there was a greater focus on the functionality of the prosthetic, what matter was that they would be light and perform the task needed as efficiently as possible.
Present
When it comes to talking about the future there is so much to be said and so much to hope for. They have come a long way and everyday companies are trying to develop ways of making lighter and stronger prosthetics. The reason for this is because not only is there a physical adjustment that a person must go through but it’s also a psychological one. Companies are trying to use materials that will be closer to the mobility of a human limb and also the same texture as human skin. All improvements even those that just seem cosmetic are very important to the functionality of a prosthetic. No longer are prosthetics purely mechanical but instead they are no considered biomechanical. This is because there are now sensors within that allow the prosthetic to have greater functionality because it picks up on electro-muscular signals that allow the user to move their prosthetic limb as naturally as their original limb. Prosthetic limbs are no longer limited to just regular uses but for sports. Companies such as Adidas and Nike conduct their own research in order to create prosthetics for high performance athletes, especially those sponsored by the brand. It’s said that Adidas is trying to create a prosthetic limb using electromagnets and materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum. The way it would work is that signals are sent to the electromagnets in order to move the prosthetic in the most natural way possible. As for Nike, they’ve collaborated with prosthetic designer Ossur to create what is known as “The Sole.” It uses a material known as Aeroply that makes more stable contact with the carbon fiber blade made by Ossur to create better stability, natural movement, and reduce injury while improving the energy lost in the stride.
It’s important to note that what some people might consider disabled and at a disadvantage is not the case with these advanced technologies being implemented into these prosthetics. A perfect example of this is the South African Olympian, Oscar Pistorious who was thought to have an advantage over runners that didn’t have artificial limbs. The reason for this were the outstanding times he received in the 100m, 200m and 400m.
The Future
The future for prosthetics seems quite bright due to the fact that with the popularity that 3D printing brings it seems like it’s highly likely that in the future individuals will be able to print prosthetics right from their homes. This is something important to consider because not only will it reduce the cost of making the prosthetics but also reduce the expenses of the user. Take it for example, in a family with a child who is in need of a prosthetic limb, it would be much cheaper to have one 3D printed. This is because children are growing every day and the limb has to be relative to their size.
Furthermore, in the future there is said to be what would be known as Body labs where individuals will be able to go and scan their limbs so that the prosthetics are modeled after them. This is extremely important because prosthetics will appear to be more natural visually and in their functionality.
Researchers at MIT are also looking to add what would be propulsion systems to their prosthetic limbs in order to mimic more natural joint movements. Also, due to the use of complicated algorithms that would analyze the movement patterns of an individual there is hopes for what would be considered predictive technology. What this means is that prosthetics will move with greater fluidity because people won’t have to think as much to move the prosthetic to do the task at hand.
Advanced prosthetics like these would then most likely lead to extended military use, even to soldiers who don’t need an artificial limb. These prosthetics would instead to enhance the performance of a soldier on the field by making the soldier faster and stronger. These prosthetics would be made in part to serve both as weapons and a method of protection for those on the front line. Much can be said about the future of prosthetics due to ever-growing enhancements in technology every day. No longer will these prosthetics be seen as just mere pieces of metal that are attached to a human to serves limited functions. Instead, prosthetics will live up to being fully integrated with the human body, to return wholeness to the individual and lead to a greater use in everyday life.