There are two types of myoelectric hands: single-motor hands and multi-articulating hands. Single-motor hands open and close — that's all they can do. But they can be covered by a realistic-looking glove so that, at a cursory glance, other people may not know you are missing your hand.
Multi-articulating myoelectric hands are available from a variety of manufacturers in multiple sizes and configurations. Some of the most popular devices are:
At times, an electric hook may be exactly the tool you need for fine, precision tip pinch, high pinch strength, durability and all electric hooks are waterproof. There are a few electric hook options available such as:
You can read more about them in our article, “Introduction to Electric Terminal Devices and watch our patient Xavier use his in his patient profile video:
Elbows have the job of helping to pre-position the terminal device in space. When a person does not have the strength or ability required to operate a body powered elbow, an electric elbow can be used because they still just need electrodes on the surface of the skin to control the movement of the elbow. Some elbows are even capable of lifting quite heavy loads and holding them to make carrying things over the forearm much easier. Each elbow has specific features that may be important to you and needed to maximize your outcome potential. You can learn more in our article, "Accomplishing More with Prosthetic Elbows." There are several elbows on the market including:
For those whose amputation level is above their elbow or at the shoulder level, a look into targeted muscle reinnervation surgery may be warranted. In that surgery, the surgeon “reassigns” nerves that once controlled hand or arm muscles on the residual limb or chest. This allows the individual to improve their control of a myoelectric device, and helps to prevent painful neuromas, which are bundles at the ends of cut nerves that are there because of an amputation. Learn more in our “Introduction to Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)” article.
Would you like to learn more about myoelectric devices and what they can do to make your life easier? Please contact us and let us know you’re interested in a complimentary consultation. We will discuss all available options for you. If you currently use a myoelectric device, please tell your fellow amputees in the comments about how you like your device!
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