stump problems before wearing a prosthesis 

      After a leg has been amputated, the remaining portion is called a stump. Sometimes when an amputee comes to see the doctor it is not possible to order a prosthesis right away because the stump edematous, or loss it motion or not strong enough.

      A stump which is appropriate to receive a prosthesis has been properly shaped by good surgery of appropriate length, the incision is well healed, the stump is strong, no neuroma pain, no swelling which could interfere with prosthesis fitting.

      All patients experience stump swelling after amputation. In order to reduce this swelling which prevents wearing a prosthesis, a patient should learn to wrap the stump as in the following pictures : 

Wrapping of below and above-knee stump 

                                                 

                                     For a below-knee stump use two elastic bandage of 4 inches width. 
                                    
                                                

                                         For an above-knee use two elastic bandage of 6 inches width. 

     
     Those bandages are stitched together to increase length. Remove and re-apply every 6 hours so that the wrapping remains firm. The time when the bandage is off should not exceed 30  minutes.
      Wrapping should continue until the stump has shrunk. This can be tested by pinching the stump. If the tissues can be caught up by the pinch then shrinkage is complete. If not, then continue wrapping.
      We often see a knee joint contracted in the flexed position due to wrong positioning.
 Things to avoid