What Are the Benefits of Wearing a Liner?

• Locking liners provide the most secure form of suspension – the shuttle lock and pin locks the liner securely into the harder socket which can then only be released with the press of a button on the side of the socket.
• Liners result in minimal pistoning in the socket – pistoning is the movement of the residual limb up and down within the socket – and transfer sheer forces away from the skin to the outer liner surface so sores and abrasions are lessened.
• Because locking liners provide a secure suspension, the perceived weight of the artificial limb is lessened so that the limb does not feel like a “hanging weight.”
• Because liners are flexible and form snugly to the stump, they help accommodate fluctuations in stump volume without compromising the socket fit.
• Locking liners improve the appearance of the limb because belts, straps, and neoprene sleeves are not needed to hold the limb on.

What Are Some Other Points to Consider?

• Not all amputees are candidates for liners.
• The amputee may perspire excessively when first getting used to a liner – in most cases this subsides after an adjustment period, though that may take several months.
• Unless the flexible liner is compressible, the interface is still considered a hard socket and needs a sock to provide cushioning.

• Some liners tend to absorb bodily odours and perspiration, the wearer must be diligent in keeping the liner clean.
• Some amputees react to the silicone and other materials liners are made of and report skin problems such as contact dermatitis. However, other factors such as the use of creams or powders in the socket may contribute to this.
• Some liners can roll down into the leg and require straightening.