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Southampton uni invent pain relief for amputees

Researchers from Southampton University have developed liners to ease pain for amputees with bad fitting limbs.

Southampton invention to ease pain for amputees

A new device that was partially created by researchers at Southampton University will help relieve pain for amputees.

The device is the first prosthetic liner with pressure sensors to ease pain for poorly fitting replacement limbs.

The device is thought to be available to NHS patients in as soon as three years.

The sensors for the device were developed by Dr Liudi Jinag and his team at the University of Southampton, where they measured the pressure and pulling forces that patients face on their prosthetic limbs.

There are 50,000 lower-limb amputees in the UK and many use artificial limbs that are attached to their limb through a socket.

This means no two stumps are the same shape and size and even an individual’s stump can change shape over the course of a single day.

Socket fit is the single biggest factor determining whether prosthesis will be successful for a patient. If we had a simple way to accurately measure the load at the socket-stump interface and determine the best possible fit for that limb, it would completely transform the socket fit experience for amputees. We’re hoping that the development of the intelligent liner will be the first step leading to the ‘holy grail’ in prosthetics – a fully automatic, self-adjusting smart socket interface for amputees.”

– Dr Liudi Jiang
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Southampton uni invent pain relief for amputees

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