Can a prosthetic device’s appearance meaningfully affect the wearer’s quality of life? Absolutely, according to research published this spring in the Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. Researchers at Sweden’s Jönköping University compared amputees’ device satisfaction and emotional well-being under two scenarios: one with a traditional foam prosthetic cover, the other with a 3D-printed cosmetic cover. “While individual preferences vary greatly,” they found, “cosmetic cover design can have a significant impact on reducing body image disturbances and improving general psychosocial adjustment to the prosthesis.”
Of course, factors such as comfort, functionality, and ease of use also profoundly affect prosthesis acceptance. But the study design controlled for those variables—participants wore their regular prosthesis throughout the 24-week study, so fit, function, and comfort remained constant. The only thing that changed was appearance: Half the participants wore traditional covers for the first 12 weeks, half wore cosmetic covers, and the two groups switched sides for the second 12 weeks.
The researchers gathered extensive survey data before the study began and after each 12-week period. Scores for psychosocial adjustment rose while participants were wearing 3D-printed cosmetic covers, while body image disturbances decreased. Emotional health and body image have well-documented impacts on amputees’ overall fitness, as individuals who feel good about their prosthesis tend to have higher levels of activity, motivation, and social engagement.
In short, good-looking prosthetic covers can lead to better health outcomes. Accordingly, the authors argue, 3D printed covers should be paid for by insurance, and “prosthetists should make efforts to educate their clients about the various cosmetic options available.”
To read the full study, visit journals.sagepub.com/home/JRT.
