Socket Comfort

“There is no doubt that the socket is the most important part of any prosthesis. The socket may be formed in a variety of shapes and constructed from a variety of materials. The shape of the socket is of the utmost importance. The shape must provide stabilisation of the residual limb (stump) within the socket so as to enable you, the amputee, to transfer your own movement into functional prosthetic movements. If the socket fails to fulfil these requirements not even the most sophisticated knee mechanism, if applicable and prosthetic foot will function properly. It is in the design and creation of the socket that the expertise of the prosthetist is of paramount importance”. Brian Wade, Dorset Orthopaedics.

A comfortable socket is one of the most important elements of any prosthesis. This has been substantiated time and time again through user surveys including the SERVQUAL service quality measurement questionnaire and the BLESMA Members’ Survey. The NHS and the private manufacturers providing the artificial limb service advocate the use of socket comfort scales to encourage Prosthetists to make patient comfort a priority. One scale currently being used is the Socket Fit Comfort Score (SCS) 1998 (Hanspal R., Fisher K. and Nieveen R.)