Evolution of Prosthetics
A brief history of prosthetics
The fist Prosthetic!
The first prosthetic dates back to 1500 B.C. and was a peg leg made of wood.
The first true prosthetic!
The first true prosthetic dates back to 950 B.C. A set of prosthetic toes which was actually for a purpose instead of just for looks like some pervious prosthetics before it .
The first prosthetic hand!
In the Second Punic War (218-210 B.C.) a Roman general had a right arm amputated and had an iron hand fashioned to hold his shield and was able to return to battle.
The hook hand!
During the dark ages (476 to 1000) no significant advancement in prosthetics were made besides the hook hand.
The first hand with fingers that could move!
In 1508, Gotz von Berlichingen made a pair of iron hands after he lost his right arm in the Battle of Landshut. The hands could be manipulated by setting them with the natural hand and moved by relaxing a series of releases and springs while being suspended with leather straps.
Kneeling above knee prostetic.
In the Mid- to late 1500s Ambroise Paré invented an above-knee device that was a kneeling peg leg and foot prosthesis that had a fixed position, adjustable harness, knee lock control and other engineering, some of which are used in todays prosthetics.
The first nonlocking below-knee prostetic
In 1696, Pieter Verduyn developed the first nonlocking below-knee prosthesis, which would later become the blueprint for current joint and corset devices.
A prosthetic leg with a foot that could be moved
In 1800, a Londoner, James Potts, designed a prosthesis made of a wooden shank and socket, a steel knee joint and an articulated foot that was controlled by catgut tendons from the knee to the ankle.
“the most complete and successful invention ever attained in artificial limbs.” at the time anyway.
Douglas Bly invented and patented the Doctor Bly’s anatomical leg in 1858, which he referred to as “the most complete and successful invention ever attained in artificial limbs.”
An advanced prosthesis with a suction socket, polycentric knee and multi-articulated foot.
In 1863, Dubois Parmlee invented an advanced prosthesis with a suction socket, polycentric knee and multi-articulated foot. Later, Gustav Hermann suggested in 1868 the use of aluminum instead of steel to make artificial limbs lighter and more functional.