Older Veterans Given New Prosthetic

August 26, 2010 - The new X2 prosthesis system is controlled by a microprocessor and reacts to very delicate changes in both terrain and the wearer's stride. Wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have been able to use this new prosthesis for years but now the first one has been fitted for a Vietnam veteran.

There are approximately 46,000 amputees listed in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new program this month to issue the new prosthesis system. The VA expects to issue between 10 and 20 of the X2 legs every month to older amputee veterans. 

For those veterans who have been wearing prosthetics for years, the X2 is going to introduce them to a whole new world. Compared to the old or standard prosthetics, the X2 allows wearers to move in ways most people take for granted. For example, the X2 provides the ability to not only step backwards, but to comfortably shift weight from side to side; the leg responds to the wearers' needs.

The X2 was developed to compliment amputees who want to remain active and able to move "normally". While the leg was designed for the Iraqi and Afghanistan veteran population, the application to veterans from other wars was obvious to recognize. The legs can be programmed to adapt to the wearers' needs, i.e., running or moving over rough terrain.

The VA is not expecting an up-front flood of requests from older veterans to be fitted for the new leg. More likely, they will be made aware of the X2 through regular check-ups with their VA physicians. The X2 is fitted differently than normal prosthetics and does take some getting used to. Despite that, the VA expects thousands of older veterans to benefit from the new technology.