Essay On Prostheses

Loss of limb is associated with several changes in one’s personal life, including changes in well being, quality of life, and autonomy. Persons with loss of limb are often stigmatized as ‘disabled’ and subject to prejudice; it is as though people see the missing limb before they see the person with loss of limb. To many, persons with loss of limb are a reminder that they themselves could lose their limbs, and that their own personal safety could be at risk (Murray 2009). Therefore, the missing limb becomes central to any encounter they have with an individual with loss of limb and they have trouble looking past it. It marks persons with loss of limb as clearly different; they are missing something, and this lack can make them seem physically
Some may find that realistic prostheses suit them best. Others may want to show off their individuality, to embrace the fact that they are different, by wearing brightly coloured prostheses. Furthermore, some may choose not to wear prostheses at all as an expression of their identity. Prostheses can help to enable persons with loss of limb to form their own identities, which may involve non-use, use of colourful prostheses to stand out, or use of realistic prostheses to blend in. It is important to understand that prostheses are not the only avenue for identity expression, and that a person with loss of limb who chooses not to use a prosthesis does not have an inferior identity to one who chooses to embrace a prosthesis. Similarly, one who chooses a realistic prosthetic limb may not necessarily be ashamed of their limb loss, and one who chooses an obvious prosthetic limb may not necessarily proud of their limb loss. Identity expression is complex and can take many shapes and forms, but this paper will specifically address the ways in which the use of prosthetic limbs serves as an approach to identity expression that is unique to persons with loss of