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There are two main types of functional prosthetic arms available for below-the-elbow amputees:
- Cable-operated prostheses are typically supported by a harness and operated by a cable that loops around the opposing shoulder. Hands are available that are opened or closed by the cable.
- Myoelectric prostheses are electrically operated. They utilize the voltage generated when flexing the large muscles in the forearm. This voltage is picked up through electrodes touching the skin and is used as the control voltage for a small DC motor that opens and closes the prosthesis.
A prosthetic hook is often considered a primitive artificial hand, associated with pirates. The hook is also stereotypically associated with villains in movies like the movie The Fugitive, and Peter Pan. Characters like Tee Hee from the James Bond movie Live and Let Die, and The Hook-Handed Man from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events further exaggerate the stereotype. A prosthetic hook is also used by Abu Hamza, who is currently in the process of being extradited to the US from Britain on terrorism charges[1].
Positive Role Models
Musician and broadcaster Greg Otterholt has been a television news host and weather reporter. Greg is also a musician who uses his prosthesis to play a variety of instruments. Additionally, in the 1946 movie The Best Years of Our Lives, Harold Russell, a real World War II vet who lost his hands in a training accident, portrayed a young sailor who fought to overcome self-doubts when he returned to civilian life as a double amputee. Russell was not trained as an actor but won an Oscar for his performance.
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- This page was last modified on 30 August 2008, at 04:31.
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