Schooner rides again!

I have a new leg. Finally!!

So today will be lots of pictures of Schooner Mk II - the new and improved version.

I went back to see George at the Appliance and Limb Centre last Wednesday and have now picked up the final product. And what a relief. After only a few days, already the pain and discomfort of using Schooner has gone.

The new leg is very comfortable but it is also provides a far greater freedom of movement for the knee. Hence I am not super steady on it yet and I need to build up the strength required to walk with a natural gait and improve the finer balance control that we take for granted. That will come with use and exercise.

So here we go with the picture tour....



Of course this is all in fashionable black and the socket is carbon fibre. What else for a post modern cyclist?!!

Notice the shaping at the top of the socket in particular. This is a unique design, in the sense that it is completely custom made for me but also in the sense that this style of socket is only made by one person in the world. There are only six of these socket types in existence!




The big difference in this design from other sockets is how low cut it is. This is to enable a lot of freedom of motion for the knee joint (which is exacly what I'm going to need when riding).









Here is the lower section connecting the socket to the foot.













Inside the socket, of course, goes my leg. But my leg has to have two special liners "rolled" onto it first.

The first, the "Distal Cup" is not shown and is a silicone like cup shaped liner that sits over the lower part of my leg. It creates a uniform shape out of the lower part of my leg.

Then this lovely lilac liner is rolled over the top. It is like a thick compression sock, with a metal pin sticking out the bottom.



Here is a shot of the pin - see the shape - it is designed to "click" into place and the notches hold the liner and via that, my leg, securely into the socket.

I then put the leg inside the socket and the pin fits through a hole in the bottom of the socket and clicks into place. Max of seven clicks!











When I want to remove the socket from my leg, all I do is press this button in and the pin is immediately released and Schooner MkII comes off instantly! No stuffing around holding onto liners and using my other foot to pull Schooner off and wince as the socket compresses my knee joint on the way through.




And this is what it looks like when I stand in it!


Next up are two more projects:

- Finalising the cycling leg attachment, and

- Getting a funky new prosthetic foot attachment, with a ball and socket which simulates the motion of the ankle joint.

These are happening over the next few weeks.