Prosthetic Power Teams

Teamwork truly is dreamwork for patients who rely on collaborative care to help turn their dreams for greater mobility into reality. How does IPO’s collaborative approach to prosthetics enhance the outcome for patients who desire a life of greater comfort and freedom of movement?

Teamwork starts as soon as an individual enters IPO. Designed around the needs and comfort of individuals who have experienced limb loss, IPO’s state-of-the-art facility is a welcoming environment that encourages collaboration. The staff works closely with patients to understand the unique challenges they face, like phantom limb pain, socket fit issues, and the psychological hurdles of adapting to a prosthesis. At IPO, this direct feedback loop between patient and prosthetist is essential for pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved together.

The journey towards optimal mobility is a multifaceted one that involves not just the patient and prosthetist, but also doctors, therapists, and even the patients’ family members. IPO effectively navigates with each crucial part of the process to collaborate and help steer efforts to achieve the patients’ goals. 

Prosthetists are essential in bridging the gap between the medical world and the everyday lives of their patients. They possess a specific blend of knowledge and engineering expertise that allows them to design and create prosthetic limbs to align with the unique needs and preferences of each patient. 

The prosthetists at IPO are precision technologists responsible for adopting complex devices into fully functional, medically appropriate, and tailored prosthetic limbs. A great deal of engineering expertise is required to design and create prosthetics to align with the unique needs, lifestyles, and preferences of each patient. The collaboration between the prosthetists and patients is a meticulous process, ensuring that each prosthetic limb not only functions safely and seamlessly but also offers maximum comfort while meeting aesthetic preferences.

Patients: Active Partners with Purpose

In the IPO world of prosthetic care, patients are at the very heart of our team effort. Their active participation, open communication, and determination play a central role in the success of the entire process. A vital part of our collaboration with patients focuses on listening to their needs and aspirations so we can create prosthetic solutions that align with their individual goals and lifestyles. 

For an inspiring illustration of how a collaborative approach can improve patient outcome, take a look at John, a below knee amputee and avid motorcyclist. The IPO team worked closely with John to design a prosthetic limb that not only restored his day-to-day mobility and independence, but also allowed him to ride his motorcycle safely and comfortably, an activity that is critically important to him. John’s prosthetic features a colorful custom design with personal meaning for a special touch that enhances not only the look of his limb, but also his wellbeing. 

Consider the journey of an athlete like Rob, a bilateral upper extremity amputee who is shown swimming in this video using customized paddle-shaped prosthetics fitted for him by IPO. Or Paul, a golf enthusiast whose below knee prosthetic allows him to pursue his passion with ease and comfort. 

Family members are also important parts of a prosthetic patient’s support team, and their collaboration is key to ensuring positive outcomes. Whether it’s a mother like Sharese whose inspiration is her son, or retiree Jane whose husband walks alongside her throughout her journey, IPO makes sure that the family is part of the team for motivation and support.

The Impact of Collaboration

“What I’m impressed by is the wonderful water leg crafted by International Prosthetics & Orthotics, that allows me to have the leg broken down in my boat, put it together, put it on, pick up 35-pound boat, and walk the most uneven terrain you will find,” says Tom, a below knee amputee who loves to kayak. 

Patient results like this shine a bright light on the power of collaboration to improve amputee care and results. 

Collaborative approaches in prosthetic care are not abstract concepts but real-world partnerships that bridge the gap between patient needs, medical expertise, technical engineering, and rehabilitative guidance. Teamwork ensures that patients not only regain their physical abilities but also achieve their mobility dreams, enabling them to embrace the future with newfound confidence, independence, and a sense of fulfillment. To collaborate with IPO on prosthetic solutions that focus on improved patient outcomes, contact us at 631-563-4550.