Mandatory Anterior and
Posterior Muscle
Cutout Window Panels for Trans-femoral Above Knee (AK) Amputees
There are some prosthetists who do not routinely
include these important windows. Some prosthetists have been trained to believe
that the purpose of these panels are to allow expansion for quadricep and
hamstring muscles of the thigh. In reality, those two muscle groups
atrophy (shrink) to the point where muscle expansion relief to such a degree becomes
irrelevant to the amputee.
Having these two windows cutout for the AK amputee is critical. From the amputees point of view, the practical purpose of these front and rear panels is:
1. Makes it much easier to sit down on hard objects like a simple toilet seat.
2. Will not scratch objects you sit on like a rigid socket without window panel cutouts would.
3. Without the rear panel cutout, your leg will constantly try to slide off of a hard restaurant seat.
4. Provides some "give" and prevents the back of your pants from getting cut and frayed from the rigid friction against any object you sit on like a chair, a log, a brick wall etc.
5. Gives you some degree of tactile sensation, for example when a person sits on your lap.
6. If you ever have an itch on your residual limb, you can apply pressure which helps to stop itching.