This is YAKKUM’s signature icon. Even though small in scope, the impact is huge. Nearly 600 clients have been helped with new legs, braces, crutches, orthopaedic shoes, Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) or wheelchairs in the past ten years. The Workshop Coordinator, I Ketut Nesa lost his leg in an accident five years ago and has undergone special training in Yogyakarta and is now an expert anaplastologist.
An extraordinary leap has been made in the efficiency of making prostheses at YAKKUM. With the purchase of a Polyetheline Prosthesis Making Oven (funded by ALF), what used to take up to 14 days to make can now be done in two-three days. This is a real boon especially for those who are in school as their studies do not need to be interrupted now. Due to the lightness and flexibility of this plastic material, the children are able to run around the schoolyard after receiving their prosthesis, much to the delight of the school principal and the children themselves.
HOW A LEG IS MADE
An initial assessment is made by the physiotherapist and the prosthesis maker to ascertain the health of the client along with his/her work and home lifestyle, the condition of the stump, and the strength of the muscles. If the client is able to use a prosthesis, then Nesa (the prosthesis maker) will measure the stump and the healthy leg in detail and then do a plaster casting.
Then the prosthesis is made by first placing the cast on a mold that is outfitted with a suction tube. The cast is bound with net stocking. A piece of polyetheline that has been cut to the correct shape is put into the oven. After it is softened it is wrapped around the cast and then the suction is turned on which forces the polyetheline to adhere to the cast’s shape. Then the prosthesis is cut in half so the cast can be removed and then “glued” back together with a special tool. The false foot is then attached and the “finishing” is done so the leg is the same length and shape as the healthy limb.
Making a brace is similar to making a prosthesis. An assessment is made with the client as above. The client often has to undergo a series of physiotherapy sessions before a brace can be fitted in order to strengthen the polio-stricken limb. Oftentimes the client must undergo an operation as well if there is secondary disabilities (if there is contracture around the knees or hips). After the correct measurements have been made, then the brace is made out of stainless materials. This is shaped according to the shape of the healthy limb and a brace lock is put in at the knee so that it can be bent when sitting and can be locked (in a straight position) when walking. An ankle brace is also fitted in to help with balance when walking. A special shoe is usually attached to the bottom of the brace so that sandals can be worn and the legs are of the same length.
The client then undergoes fittings and lessons in how to walk with the physiotherapist and the prosthesis/brace maker. It takes several days to get used to the new limbs.
This project is made possible through funding by:
