Caveman

The Mauch works for me. progressive yield and the ability to look or be totally free (cycling) is very useful

Like and agree with Kitkat's / Lizzie's last and the previous is all very interesting. I am above knee RHS with a weak left knee. On good days I am very active. On bad days due to stump issues, crutches only. On very bad days bum shuffling around the house is all I can do. My car is a adapted; it is essential. I want to work while I can. If and when my left knee gives up that will change. Whilst I hospital there were 2 very significant role models one good the other bad. GOOD: Consultant anesthetist above knee for 25 years and dodgy other leg - 50-60hospital working week, + a batch of hobbies. A full life at nudging 60. BAD: a 34 year old relative of a ward nurse, 3 years post work injury; below knee amputation , never planning on working again with insurance and state payouts. on another front, abuse of Blue Badges really winds me up!!! best

Thanks all. and OneBlue - good to hear from you again! Had a 2-week trial on a 2nd hand C and was very impressed. Went out to France on on survey for a week and was very impressed on all fronts. Climb ladders, crawl in bilges ++. Compared to the Rheo the C is better. period. Noticed it most on down slopes. If I had the money I would go fot it; I havent and there is no insurance. I hear the Genium is better.... In the UK I guess there is a post code lottery. I am surprised Grum had to to fight for a Mauch (I think they are advanced rather thans simple in the mechanical hierarchy!). When I lost my leg If I had been Portsmouth based I could have ad a C!! I tried a number of knees and thought the Mauch was the best for me: control, stairs, free for cylicng, locked for ladders. I rejected the endolite ip. My NHS service has been brilliant from day 1. Just been given a water aciivity leg with a water reisistant verion of the 3R95 and an ankle that can rotate 90 degrees. So can get under boats when on a drying mooring (work); sail and dive. ...and with Grum's last point, yes I would sell the house to escape the castle/prison to go private if I had to; fortunately the NHS has delivered. i was working in Turkey and Spain last week; UK and Sardinia this week, Italy and France the week after. and best to all

Hello All. Havent posted for a long time. My privately funded Rheo knee died a couple of months back; just heard it is not economic to repair it. I have been offered a new Rheo at a 20% discount. I haven't got the funds. Very poor considering that I have had it for less than 5 years and has only been used no more than 50% of elapsed time. My NHS Mauch has worked admirably without issues over the same period. My NHS socket on the Mauch is not as smart looking but just (possible more) comfortable. OK the performance of the Rheo is better than the Mauch but is it worth the cost? Is it worth paying double for a "C"? I have no diect knoweldge of the ever increasing intelligent knees that are on the market. Where I am now after a few years of being an amputee is that socket fit is all and technology is secondary. I would like to have a new intelligent knee but cannot justify the cost. I guess the same logic goes for prescribing within a PCT. I guess expensive components are only for those on an insurance payout. What are the thoughts of others regarding benefits of "going "private"

Have you progressed to reds+ since the video? I was was concerned about taking my weak leg out if I tried to revisit what I used to do (all ountain on and off piste) Goy the mojo fully back this year and will be closing out the year in Zermatt where younger daughter is doing a season.

was fine in europe! The sitski racing was very impressive!

Our relationship is stronger than ever. Sitting down or in the car, and affectionate hand may come across and she is still occasionally surpirsed to find a socket not a thigh! Losing a limb is unfortunate, but it is not a whole identity. Be of cheer!

The owner of Otto Bock bought his 50meter Superyacht (a real peach) a few years back based on the expected sales of prosthetics after the start the start of Iraq/Afghan wars and projected sales to the military. He now has a bigger one on order, yes I think the prices for bock kit is high.

I have had a Rheo for two years. I use an Elation foot, I find the adjustable heel very useful to tune a leg for the exact heel/toe action and have the same foot on my Mauch leg. I had a limp before losing my leg due to messy left leg; on good days and people who dont me are surprise I am am amputee. The gait is very natural. I did not get a chance to try the C. My Prosthetist thought was the best for me. When shopping around 2 other were going for the C; that I think is down to the ubiquity of the C its a safe prescription. The Rheo is cheaper. The C has 2 modes. the Rheo has as many as you wasnt which can be set up on a PDA. I don't bother as the knee adapts so fast. Will look to try a c when it is time to replace. there is nothing I cant do on the Mauch, but the Rheo is easier.

I suspect most of the people that use this site with varying degrees of reduced mobility should get some form of DLA. In the UK I get severely wound up by the abuse of the benefits system (various incarnations) DLA and able bodied builders/familes etc using their late Auntie Mabel's blue badge for car parking. At the same time the system doesn't always pay when there is genuine need. When I was scraped off the road after my accident I lost one leg above knee and the other was a mess. I was wholly immobile for 5 months. I tried to get a benefit for that period. Was told I had to claim against my employer. They were oblivious to to the point that as a one-man-band, the employer was me and the "company" had no income whilst I was not working. the only way I could get benefits was to wind up my company and lose 20 odd years of credit and profile. Was a good incentive to get back to worK ASAP. but grossly unfair.

I am above knee and very hairy. I have a suction socket. Long hairs pull and I cant get sores from the hair skin abrasion. Shaving gives good suction but the ingrowing hairs can create "zits". The solution (for me) that is comfortable and stable is to use a hair/beard trimmer at 0 -length. I also make sure the skin is always clean and use adaptskin or babycream

where leg all day and am very actiive. mosturize stump at "contact" points getting up and going to bed. Have issues when very hot - not a callous but the skin gives up. Have discovered COMPEED blister plasters to be a brilliant fix