fbpx

Adjustment Made Easy

Hi my name is Lynn De Cola. I have been an amputee for 23 years following a motorcyle accident that claimed my right leg above the knee in 1993.


Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 4.02.47 PM


I received my first conventional socket in 1993 and it’s rigidity had always caused me issues. The funny thing is that it looks exactly like the conventional sockets offered in 2016, with its flexible inner liner and rigid frame. I became a prosthetist in 1994 when my prosthetist invited me to come see the work he did. I instantly fell in love and he hired me as an O&P assistant, which spurred me on to become ABC certified by Florida state. I learned of the Infinite Socket through O&P edge, and believed the technology could prove a valid alternative to the sockets I fit on a daily basis. I reached out to LIM Innovations and was fit with the Infinite Socket at AAOP 2016.

The first thing I instantly noticed was the shock absorption from the dynamic struts was incredible. Whilst wearing my previous socket, I felt every bump in the road reverberating up my femur. Now it feels like I’m walking on a soft sponge. As I wore the Infinite Socket and became familiar with the functionality of it, I came to notice other benefits. One big difference was that the brim does not stick to skin like a proflex type flexible liner. The soft goods feel great around my groin and rather than trap the limb, capture it along the top. This leads to the Infinite Socket being cooler. I live in Florida, which has a humid climate that affects the way I maintain suction in the socket. While sitting out in sun, my residual limb does not feel like it’s baking in socket either, which is of huge benefit.

On a daily basis, I drive to work and noticed over a period of time that I had an increased range of motion in my hip flexors when I sit. This allows me to drive long distances without the need of removing my prosthesis and redonning upon my arrival. I can use the rowing machine at the gym and even bend down to pick up things I drop by accident. Convenient and comfortable has been unheard of since 1993…


IMG_7626


Naturally, I slow down at the end of the day, but not from painful sockets, but rather from being tired. My activity level has increased dramatically since being fit with the Infinite Socket, and when I arrive back home, I can use the adjustment feature by loosening the ratchet to free the grip around my residual limb. Whilst keeping the socket on, I can actually feel someone’s hand on my lap, the affection of a cat and it’s little paws stomping around in between my struts.

The socket did however, take some getting used to. At first I wanted to take full advantage of the adjustment, and attempted to over tighten the velcro tensioner because I thought the brim should be as tight as possible so as not to slide off.


Of course the tensioner broke, and I was left to make do with my old socket for one day until a new one was shipped. The turn-around times at LIM’s production facility is impressive and their flexibility to cover damages to the socket is unheard of these days.


On another occasion, my brim failed. The version which I was fit with originally had foam around the top of the brim. Once that had flattened out, I was able to feel the plastic interior digging into my groin. I provided feedback and images to the clinical team, and LIM sent out a brand new model with silicon rope along the top to counteract this issue. GOLDEN!

The adjustability of the Infinite Socket is always going to provide some durability kickbacks with parts as consistently seen on anything that moves. The important thing to remember is the quality of my life has dramatically improved as a result of my adjustable modular prosthetic socket.

On Call with Dr. AP: Spanning the Country

I apologize for wavering on my vow to write a weekly post for our loyal readers, which is why I have decided to write two posts this week. February has been a busy month for us, with the team stretched across the continental US for a variety of events.

I would like to take a moment to update you on our recent travels.

From the AAOP Academy Annual Meeting in New Orleans, to the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation at the University of Maryland, to our first pair of successful fittings at Walter Reed Medical Center, I could not be more proud of the LIM Innovations team.

In a follow-up visit to Walter Reed Medical Center, we received more positive feedback on the Infinite Socket. It has been a great learning experience for our team, and an even better opportunity to work with our active duty military and veteran populations. We appreciate their dedication to provide feedback and help develop of the Infinite Socket.

A small team took to Baltimore with our first pediatric user in tow, where we were selected as a winner and received $50,000 in seed funds from the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation. Similar to our efforts with Walter Reed, we are honored to have received additional funding to improve pediatric care in prosthetics.

Just last week, we attended the 41st Annual Academy Meeting in New Orleans, where we debuted our LIM Provider Platform. With over 200 attendees at our booth, 94 prosthetists at our workshop, and 38 applications for our LIM Provider Network, the conference was successful.

We are excited about our varied efforts, serving multiple populations, and hope we can continue to improve the standard of care in the prosthetic industry. Your steady support has been critical to our growth.


I vow to give our dedicated readers a weekly commentary on industry trends, the latest LIM events, entrepreneurial lessons I learn as the CEO and Co-Founder of LIM Innovations, and pearls of wisdom as a practicing Orthopaedic surgeon. I ask you join me at the most obscure hours of the night as you all “take call” with Dr. AP. I view this as an opportunity for our supporters to connect with me and to share what happens behind the scenes here at LIM Innovations.

On Call with Dr. AP: AAOP Academy Meeting Recap

The LIM Innovations team got back from New Orleans late on Sunday night. We spent the previous week at the 41st Academy Annual Meeting (AAOP), where we debuted our new LIM Provider Platform.

We launched the Infinite Socket under a Limited Market Release on September 4, 2014 at the AOPA National Assembly in Las Vegas. Over the last five months, our ten clinical partners have provided us with generous feedback and assistance in researching and developing the Infinite Socket. They have helped us launch the Infinite Socket to the O&P community, and we are proud to announce its official release.

Over the course of the four-day exhibition in New Orleans, we had over 200 visitors at our booth, and 94 attendees at our two workshops. We were excited to meet new faces in the O&P community, and share some of our latest developments on the Infinite Socket.

The two workshops provided attendees with background on LIM Innovations, taught the skills needed to fit the Infinite Socket, and outlined the process to become a Certified LIM Prosthetist. We are proud to have received 38 applications to become a Certified LIM Prosthetist, and educated an additional 56 attendees on the opportunity.

If you were unable to attend our workshop at AAOP, we encourage you to contact us for more information on how to become a Certified LIM Prosthetist. Please reach out to info@liminnovations.com for more information.


I vow to give our dedicated readers a weekly commentary on industry trends, the latest LIM events, entrepreneurial lessons I learn as the CEO and Co-Founder of LIM Innovations, and pearls of wisdom as a practicing Orthopaedic surgeon. I ask you join me at the most obscure hours of the night as you all “take call” with Dr. AP. I view this as an opportunity for our supporters to connect with me and to share what happens behind the scenes here at LIM Innovations.