In the News

Putting the Best Foot Forward

By MICHELE MARCOTTE
The Daily Sentinel
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 

The technology associated with prosthetics is growing, according to Nacogdoches-based prosthetist Sherrie Anderson.  Recently, Anderson fit one of her patients with the Proprio Foot, one of the most advanced bionic technology prosthetics available worldwide.

Christy Wooten/The Daily Sentinel

The ankle of the Proprio Foot has a micro-processing unit that senses the position of the foot.

Christy Wooten/The Daily Sentinel

James Wright displays how the toe of his Proprio Foot can move up and down, similar to a natural foot. Wright said his new prosthetic keeps his foot flat so he has a solid foundation when he puts the foot down.

The Proprio Foot is a prosthetic limb that detects where the foot is in space, enabling it to identify slopes and stairs after the first step, and then instructing the ankle to flex appropriately.  "It's made a world of difference just in a week," said Anderson's patient James Wright.  The ankle of the foot is controlled by a microprocessor that senses the position of the foot by the weight, Anderson said.  "It brings the toe up and down, unlike a normal prosthetic which stays stationary," she said. "It acts more like a natural foot."  Wright said the little discomforts he had with his previous prosthetic have disappeared.  "There's not that pressure on my hip," he said. "It's been a drastic change."  Anderson said many times the toe of a normal prosthetic limb will get caught.  "Normally, you lift your toe when you walk, and when (someone with a prosthesis) walks, they will catch the toe on things because their foot is remaining flat."

Like with any other new technology in the prosthetic industry, prosthetists must be trained and certified before they can use the Proprio Foot.  Anderson said during Wright's visit, Francois Vanderwatt, a representative from Ossur, the company that produces the foot, instructed her on how to adjust the prosthetic.  "It allowed me to get certified," she said.  Anderson said while Vanderwatt was unsure about the number of prosthetists who have been certified to use the Proprio Foot, he did note that the nearest one is in Beaumont.