What Do Prosthetists Are Saying About the Overlay?

Managing residual limb volume changes is one of the most persistent challenges in prosthetic care. As limb volume fluctuates throughout the day, patients may experience changes in socket fit, discomfort, and reduced stability.

Traditionally, prosthetists have relied on prosthetic socks, pads, and socket modifications to address these changes. However, these solutions can require frequent adjustments and may not always provide the flexibility patients need.

The Overlay by Ethnocare offers a different approach: an adjustable, air-based prosthetic socket insert that allows users to fine-tune their socket fit throughout the day, without removing their prosthesis.

But what do prosthetists think about this solution?

We asked experienced Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) professionals to share their experiences using the Overlay in clinical practice.

Managing Residual Limb Volume Changes Without Constant Sock Adjustments

Daily residual limb volume fluctuations can make maintaining a consistent prosthetic socket fit difficult. For some patients, managing these changes means repeatedly adding or removing prosthetic socks.

Angela Kanavel, CPO, LPO, Clinical Manager, shared an experience with a patient who required significant sock adjustments:

My patient came in wearing 21 ply of socks ( ... ) with the Overlay and a couple of pads, he no longer needs to wear any socks, as we wait for insurance authorization on a new socket. He just called me this morning in tears because he loves it so much! I will definitely be utilizing the Overlay more in practice.

This experience illustrates how an adjustable socket insert can provide an additional option for managing socket fit, particularly when patients are waiting for a replacement socket.

While the Overlay does not replace the need for a properly fitted prosthetic socket, it can help users accommodate daily volume fluctuations within their existing socket.

Supporting Socket Fit and Skin Health

An improperly fitting prosthetic socket can contribute to excessive pressure, friction, and skin irritation. For clinicians, addressing these issues is an important part of maintaining patient comfort and mobility.

Charles Kuffel, CPO, LPO, FAAOP, President & Clinical Director at Arise Orthotics & Prosthetics, highlights the importance of effective volume management:

After more than 30 years in clinical practice, managing limb volume changes and patient compliance are still one of the greatest challenges. The Overlay helps maintain skin integrity and reduce costly complications caused by ill-fitting sockets.

By allowing patients to adjust the amount of air inside the Overlay, the product provides a convenient way to respond to changes in socket fit throughout the day.

This adjustability may help clinicians and patients address fit-related concerns before they become more disruptive to daily activities.

Making Prosthetic Socket Adjustments Easier for Patients

One of the challenges with traditional prosthetic sock management is the need to remove the prosthesis whenever an adjustment is necessary.

For patients with limited mobility or dexterity, this process can become particularly inconvenient.

Ivan Kruger, CPOA, COF, Clinician at Hanger Clinics, describes the difference the Overlay can make:

For my older patients, the Overlay provides reassurance that they can immediately adjust their socket fit by simply adding or releasing air - even through clothing and with their prosthesis on. That’s a substantial improvement over socks.

With its integrated air pump and release valve, the Overlay allows users to adjust socket fit without removing their prosthesis.

This on-demand adjustability can make it easier for users to manage everyday volume fluctuations and maintain a more consistent fit during their activities.

Simplifying Inventory Management for Prosthetic Clinics

Beyond patient comfort, adjustable prosthetic solutions can also improve certain aspects of clinical workflow.

Traditional volume management often requires patients and clinics to maintain different prosthetic sock thicknesses to accommodate changes in residual limb size.

JF Brissette, Clinic Director, shares how the Overlay has changed his approach:

My TT patients no longer have to carry several 'spacer socks' with them. They benefit from the most optimal volume adjustment, whatever the time of day, and without losing knee flexion ROM. My stocking inventory is also less complex, since one Overlay covers a volume range from 2 to 15 ply.

The Overlay is designed to accommodate volume adjustments equivalent to approximately 2 to 15 ply of prosthetic socks, depending on the patient's anatomy and socket configuration.

For O&P clinics, this versatility offers an alternative to relying exclusively on multiple sock thicknesses and may simplify inventory management.

Why Prosthetists Are Integrating the Overlay Into Their Practice

The experiences shared by these clinicians highlight several potential benefits of incorporating the Overlay into prosthetic care:

• On-demand socket adjustments: Patients can add or release air without removing their prosthesis.

• Improved daily fit management: Adjustable air cells help accommodate residual limb volume fluctuations throughout the day.

• Greater patient independence: Users can make adjustments themselves rather than relying exclusively on clinical visits or sock changes.

• Simplified inventory: One adjustable insert can cover a range of volume changes typically managed with multiple sock thicknesses.

• Potentially fewer fit-related follow-ups: Convenient adjustments may help resolve certain daily fit concerns without additional clinic appointments.

• Compatibility with existing sockets: The Overlay is designed to be incorporated into compatible prosthetic socket systems without requiring a completely new socket.

These benefits make the Overlay a practical option for clinicians seeking additional tools to manage socket fit challenges.

Discover a Different Approach to Prosthetic Socket Adjustability

Residual limb volume changes are a daily reality for many prosthetic users. Providing convenient, reliable ways to accommodate these fluctuations can make an important difference in their experience.

As these clinicians' testimonials demonstrate, the Overlay offers a new way to approach socket fit management, combining patient-controlled adjustability with a solution that can be integrated into existing clinical workflows.

Whether you're looking to reduce reliance on prosthetic socks, help patients manage daily volume fluctuations, or explore new approaches to socket fit, the Overlay can be a valuable addition to your clinical toolkit.

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