Thermal Conductivities of Commercially Available Prosthetic Materials

Abstract

Prosthetic liners and sockets play an important role in amputee patient rehabilitation. Current commercially available prosthetic liners and sockets insulate the residual limb, causing the temperature of the residual limb to increase. As a result, the residual limb sweats excessively, which can lead to numerous dermatologic conditions when coupled with the atypical loading of the residual limb tissues. These skin problems can impart unnecessary physical and psychological burdens on the amputee patient and hinder his/her rehabilitation process. This study focused on quantifying the thermal barrier posed by materials currently used in prosthetic liners and sockets by measuring the materials’ thermal conductivities. Elastomer thermal conductivities ranged from 0.145 to 0.155 W/m K, whereas fabric thermal conductivities were 0.045 to 0.074 W/m K. Liners exhibited a 0.116 to 0.143 W/m K range of thermal conductivities, and socket materials had thermal conductivities from 0.133 to 0.189 W/m K. These insulating materials are poor candidates for use in prosthetic components that surround the residual limb for many hours each day. As such, future generations of prosthetic liners and sockets should address the atypical thermal environment around the residual limb by improving the materials used and the design implemented.