Prosthetic Hand

Hand amputation is typically experienced as being more devastating to body image adaptation and overall adjustment than the loss of a lower extremity. This is because arms and hands are integral to activities of daily living, occupational functioning, and leisure activities. The loss of a hand or an arm is also more difficult to camouflage compared to the loss of a lower extremity.However, prosthetic fitting can take place early after the injury, and controlling the prosthesis especially for below-elbow amputees is mostly intuitive and easy to learn in an adequate rehabilitation setting.There are 3 basic types of prostheses:

• A cosmetic prosthesis is for appearance only and does not move.
• A conventional (or body-powered) prosthesis is connected to the body by a series of cables. By moving your body in different ways, it is possible to move the prosthesis and even open and close the artificial hand.
• A myoelectric prosthesis is the newest and most advanced form of transradial prosthesis. It connects an electronic hand to the muscles in your arm. As the muscles contract, electrodes send a signal to the artificial limb, causing it to move in much the same way as your real hand.