stevensamler
Contributor
Lizard Leg contact MDR Mike on this board he can help.
Question for dry suit wearers
- Thread starter Lizard Leg
- Start date
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Lizard Leg contact MDR Mike on this board he can help.
OP
Lizard Leg
Contributor
yes, sweat will make it slip as well.
So.. if sweat makes it slip... I am thinking that water will act nearly the same way as sweat.. Slowly making its way into the seal.. Just as sweat will make its way out... When the two meet, you are left legless.
Do they make special swimmingprosthesis?
I Would also assume that any uneven scarring might give water a passage.
Do they make special swimmingprosthesis?
I Would also assume that any uneven scarring might give water a passage.
OP
Lizard Leg
Contributor
This is a special dive prosthesis, but the attachment point and socket are the same as on land. I haven't tried a wetsuit - I'm a warm water diver, and even warmer natured - I just don't get cold, so even a wetsuit is overkill. I'd really try to avoid one if I can, but looks like I might have to change that soon if I can't keep the leg on.
This might be a shot in the dark.. as I have no idea how prosthesis work, but would it be an idea to put vazeline between liner and skin?
Ie shave skin (Make sure not to cause irritation to skin) and put a thin layer of vazeline on. This would (theoretically at least) seal and deterr the water...
I am not sure how it would work when considering the airtight seal and suction.. but I imagine it might work if you have a dry zone at the bottom, and keep the vazeline on top. bottomleg->socket->silicone->drybit of skin->Vazeline
That way the drybit of skin will keep the prosthesis on with airsuction, and the vazeline will keep water from entering, whilst not beeing large enough zone to loose the frictional attachment you get between silicone and skin...
Ie shave skin (Make sure not to cause irritation to skin) and put a thin layer of vazeline on. This would (theoretically at least) seal and deterr the water...
I am not sure how it would work when considering the airtight seal and suction.. but I imagine it might work if you have a dry zone at the bottom, and keep the vazeline on top. bottomleg->socket->silicone->drybit of skin->Vazeline
That way the drybit of skin will keep the prosthesis on with airsuction, and the vazeline will keep water from entering, whilst not beeing large enough zone to loose the frictional attachment you get between silicone and skin...
flots am
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Drysuits are pressure compensated at ambient pressure, so if you actually have an airtight seal, it would be impossible to pull off the leg underwater without ripping your hip apart.
On the other hand, air pressure will work against you on ascent, and as pressure decreases, any trapped air would try to pop your (prosthetic) leg off.
In any case, a properly fitted drysuit won't have enough extra fabric in the leg to allow anything to come apart (the boot is part of the suit leg), so you'll probably do quite nicely with it.
flots.
krawlings
Contributor
then maybe try a tight rash guard / dive skin. jut one more option . or maybe some spray adhesive. spray a tight spray on the contact point and roll the sylicone seal up over it . models use this technique to keep there bikini's from moving or riding up out of place . and to clean of use rubbing alcohol.
We use a substance called Urobond to glue the silicone She-Ps to ourselves . . . since it sticks to the silicone there, I would think it at least possible it would stick to the prosthesis as well. And since it's okay for the fine skin of the perineum, I would hope it would not irritate the skin of the stump. The one problem you'll run into is cleaning it off the prosthesis -- it's very sticky, and although you can buy the Remove solvent by the bottle, it's still a bit of a pain to clean all of it off. Can you buy a spare sleeve that you would use specifically for diving? If so, the problem is solved.
MDR Mike
Registered
Lizard Leg,
I got your PM but would like to share the info for all:
First off I am a Certified Prosthetist and BK amputee as well. I wear almost the exact same prosthetic set up you use and dive wet with a 7mm farmer john. I had the same prob. for a few dive and resorted to wearing two sleeves over the socket/thigh to creat a tight suspsension but as you know water gets in and is by no means suction any longer, it basically becomes mechanical. There are ankle plantar flexion feet available for using fins but I shore dive with uneven terrain and I am VERY picky with my feet and require a dynamic foot with a 130 steel on my back. The ankle plantar flexion feet are ok for your K2-k3 amputee. Basically I can go on and on with you about ideas and I will PM you a cell # you can reach me at. I am currently out of town for an upper extremity amputee conference for the VA and was able to tour the center for the intrepid and they have a dive club also...I ask the guy that runs the club and he stated that the amputee divers usually doff their prosthesis before diving. Ok fair enough but I shore dive and do channel island boat dives and quite honestly don't like the lack of independence without my prosthesis on. At this point I recommend donning two sleeves. Maybe one thing sealing sleeve and then the oww flex sleeve (high quality imo) over that...it will be big and bulkly but the suction should return when you get on shore/boat and pump the water out of your prosthesis. Long story short I am in the same situation but would like to find something better and believe me I am brainstorming in between lectures here (san antonio for the week). call me sometime maybe this weekend and we can chat. Mike
PS I will PM the cell.
I got your PM but would like to share the info for all:
First off I am a Certified Prosthetist and BK amputee as well. I wear almost the exact same prosthetic set up you use and dive wet with a 7mm farmer john. I had the same prob. for a few dive and resorted to wearing two sleeves over the socket/thigh to creat a tight suspsension but as you know water gets in and is by no means suction any longer, it basically becomes mechanical. There are ankle plantar flexion feet available for using fins but I shore dive with uneven terrain and I am VERY picky with my feet and require a dynamic foot with a 130 steel on my back. The ankle plantar flexion feet are ok for your K2-k3 amputee. Basically I can go on and on with you about ideas and I will PM you a cell # you can reach me at. I am currently out of town for an upper extremity amputee conference for the VA and was able to tour the center for the intrepid and they have a dive club also...I ask the guy that runs the club and he stated that the amputee divers usually doff their prosthesis before diving. Ok fair enough but I shore dive and do channel island boat dives and quite honestly don't like the lack of independence without my prosthesis on. At this point I recommend donning two sleeves. Maybe one thing sealing sleeve and then the oww flex sleeve (high quality imo) over that...it will be big and bulkly but the suction should return when you get on shore/boat and pump the water out of your prosthesis. Long story short I am in the same situation but would like to find something better and believe me I am brainstorming in between lectures here (san antonio for the week). call me sometime maybe this weekend and we can chat. Mike
PS I will PM the cell.
OP
Lizard Leg
Contributor
I love SB 
Mike, Wow - what are the chances of meeting up with another BK, prosthetist AND diver, with the same issue?? For the record, I wear a Renegade foot module with the Fillauer DuraShock HD pylon, Ossur comfort liner (stump just can't handle the X5 but man they are nice when they work!), with various silicon suspension sleeves. I'll give you a call soon - together we should be able to come up with something.
Does wearing a wetsuit over the entire system help keep the water out? I had thought it was water leaking through the valve, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I had thought about trying out a shorty wetsuit this weekend - maybe minimizing the amount of water that can get into the skin/silicon junction would help.
Mike, Wow - what are the chances of meeting up with another BK, prosthetist AND diver, with the same issue?? For the record, I wear a Renegade foot module with the Fillauer DuraShock HD pylon, Ossur comfort liner (stump just can't handle the X5 but man they are nice when they work!), with various silicon suspension sleeves. I'll give you a call soon - together we should be able to come up with something.
Does wearing a wetsuit over the entire system help keep the water out? I had thought it was water leaking through the valve, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I had thought about trying out a shorty wetsuit this weekend - maybe minimizing the amount of water that can get into the skin/silicon junction would help.
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