Innovation revolutionary: A solution to prosthetic socks management

Veterans with prostheses often experience fluctuations in residual limb volume. They adjust for the resulting changes in fit and comfort of their prosthetic sockets throughout the day using prosthetic socks of varying thickness. However, this can be difficult for a recent amputee to manage. Too few or too many socks can create increased pressure on the end of the limb. That makes it difficult to determine when to add or remove socks. Incorrect use of socks can lead to skin damage and serious complications, such as non-healing wounds. To address this issue, Billie Savvas Slater developed the Prosthetic Sock Management Tool (PSMT). Slater is a Research Health Science specialist and Innovation specialist at the Minneapolis VA.