Prosthetic Foot

Prosthetic foot technology is impressive. The appropriate foot for you depends on what you want and need to do. Walk, run, dance, work, swim, golf, water ski? There are more than one hundred different prosthetic feet available. That is why sharing your hopes and dreams with your prosthetist is so important. They need to figure out what foot is going to be best for you. Your age, height, weight, size of your residual limb, foot size, goals, occupation, hobbies, and activity level all need to be considered.

Types of Prosthetic Feet

Basic Prosthetic Foot 

It provides a high degree of stability. It’s durable, inexpensive, and requires very little maintenance.

Energy Storing Foot

It is like a spring. When a spring is compressed it stores energy. When that energy is released the coils “spring” back. Energy storing feet work the same way.  When you step down and the heel strikes the ground, the foot compresses and stores energy. That energy is released when the foot pushes off. The foot will actually “lift” your body to help produce a more normal gait.

Microprocessor-Controlled Foot (MPC)

It has computer sensors that react to your environment. The sensors read your body weight and balance, as well as take into consideration if you’re on level ground or a ramp and respond accordingly. A MPC Foot is expensive and requires a high degree of maintenance, but is the best choice for mimicking an actual human foot.