Megan Katz

Every day at work is a little different. Most often, it includes building new artificial limbs or prosthetics (arms or legs). On other days, my time is spend adjusting or repairing used ones. I use a variety of materials to create or repair artificial limbs. Some of the more common materials are wood, plaster, metal, leather, fiberglass and glue. I also use some less common materials such as carbon fibre. This material makes a very strong and lightweight prosthetic. I also use special plastics known thermoformable plastics. These plastics can be heated to make molds or shapes. I work in a woodshop-style workshop.

Prosthetic technicians work with a prosthetist to assess the individual needs of each patient. We do not generally see the patients themselves. Technicians often assist the prosthetist during a fitting. Fitting is when the patient tries on their limb. Changes might need to be made to their device to ensure the best fit while the person waits. If it requires major changes, they may come back another time to pick it up.

Technicians can plan their time according to what needs to be completed that day or week. This can include filling casts of the patient's residual limb with plaster. Another task might be making a trial socket out of clear plastic heated in an infrared oven. The socket is then molded around a cast with suction. Sometimes I will make a final socket out of fibers saturated in resin around a cast.

Something else I do is to change parts in mechanical knees, feet, adaptors and connectors. Yes, it's kind of like Lego! Each person's anatomy and lifestyle are different. No two prosthetic devices are exactly alike. That leaves room for creative problem solving. The work requires a good eye for detail, manual dexterity, and the ability to multitask. Often there will be a few projects on the go at the same time. In the end, the devices are made to a high standard to ensure the safety of the patient.

In this job, it's important to understand the materials and chemicals you're working with. It is also important to know how the patient will use the device. This includes the relationship between the prosthetic devices and the forces put on it by the patient. This can help the technician understand why something might not be working the way it should. It will also help them to make a better limb the next time.