Upper Limb Prostheses

The main materials used to make prostheses are aluminum plates, wood, leather, plastic, and metal mechanical parts. A good prosthesis must be functional, comfortable and easy to wear, lightweight and durable, and have an appearance similar to the healthy limb.

(1) Decorative Upper Limb Prostheses: These prostheses do not provide the function of working or self-care; their main function is to compensate for the appearance of the upper limb and maintain balance. They are mainly used for those with high-level upper arm amputations, shoulder disarticulations, and scapular girdle disarticulations.

(2) Tool Hands: These are designed and made specifically for upper limb amputees and consist of two main parts. First, there is the arm tube, which is fixed to the residual limb and has a tool connector at the end. Second, there are various work tools and household items, such as hammers, screwdrivers, files, multi-purpose hooks, toothbrushes, spoons, etc. Through the connector, various tools and household items can be changed as needed, restoring the patient's work ability and self-care ability to a certain extent. However, tool hands do not resemble the normal shape of a human limb, and their use is also very limited.

(3) Traction-type mechanical prosthetic hand: This type of prosthetic hand, also known as a motorized prosthetic hand or mechanical prosthetic hand, is a substitute for a human hand. It relies on the coordinated movements of the user's residual and healthy limbs to drive a traction cable, manipulating and controlling the opening and closing of the prosthetic hand to grasp and extract objects. This type of prosthetic hand is mainly suitable for individuals with forearm or upper arm disabilities. Due to its simple structure, reliable performance, ease of use, and relatively low price, it is widely used in China.