Recent developments in upper limb prosthetic technology and their clinical impact

<p>Day S</p>

Recent developments in upper limb prosthetic technology and their clinical impact

Day S

University of Strathclyde, UK

: Clin Res Orthop

Abstract

Traditional upper limb prostheses have low acceptance rates with patients often feeling frustrated by their lack of functionality and usability of the device. Efforts have been made in the past two decades to develop prosthetic hands capable of more realistic movements, such as those used in everyday activities of daily living. More recently, research teams have been investigating ways of improving control of these devices, through methods such as targeted muscle re-innervation, pattern recognition, and implantable electrodes. This presentation will explore the clinical impact of prescribing multi-articulating prosthetic hands over traditional terminal devices, considering factors such as acceptance, function, usability and compensatory movements. In addition, we will present clinical findings from teams working towards embodiment of the prosthetic hand.