Historical development of prosthetics for the lower limb

Following the development of prosthetics for the lower limb since the middl e of the 18th century one will find Very interesting similarities to modern prostheses. This becomes evident when looking at former knee and ankle joi nt mechanisms or socket designs. Also, the materials used for the prosthese s underwent very interesting variations. In our paper we will describe the development of socket designs and several materials from the beginning of t he 19th century. Several still obtainable books dealing with 200 years of p rosthetics development, were reviewed. Charles White describes in the year 1761 a supramalleolar amputation using the flap technique and the specially built BK prostheses these socket. V. B runninghausen describes in 1809 a socket made of tin sheet. It was built ov al, as the normal transverse section of the thigh is. Stump adhesion was ob tained when a shortly trimmed dog fur - panelling the socket and covering t he stump - was attached like brushes end on end. A similar fitting was desc ribed by Heine in 1811, v. Dornbluth in 1831, and Mrs. Eichler in 1836. Her rmann first mentioned the need of a perpendicular construction of prosthese s. Parmelee developed in 1868 the first suction socket. The first tuber-enc losing socketdesign was made by Riedel in 1911. We will show documents from this time and will also show, that muscle-physiological aspects had a very important influence on socket designs.