07/10/2025
For diabetic amputees with peripheral neuropathy, recognizing when their prosthetic fit needs adjustment can be nearly impossible. By the time they notice discomfort, skin damage may have already occurred. This is why proactive, automatic adjustment is more than convenient, it's medically necessary.
Diabetic amputees face a perfect storm of challenges. Fluctuating blood sugar levels cause limb volume to change throughout the day, sometimes significantly.
Meanwhile, peripheral neuropathy robs them of the sensation needed to detect when their socket becomes too tight or loose. Traditional prosthetic management relies on the patient's ability to feel pressure points, recognize discomfort, and make timely adjustments by adding or removing prosthetic socks.
But when you can't feel your limb properly, this system fails catastrophically.
The consequences extend far beyond discomfort. Pressure sores in diabetic patients heal slowly and poorly. What starts as minor skin irritation can quickly escalate to deep tissue damage, infection, and in worst cases, additional amputation. The statistics are sobering: diabetic amputees face significantly higher rates of secondary amputations, often due to preventable complications from poor prosthetic fit.
This creates an impossible burden for prosthetists too. How do you ensure proper fit for patients who can't reliably report problems?
The solution lies in technology that works proactively, not reactively. Automatic volume adjustment systems can detect and respond to limb changes before damage occurs, providing the constant vigilance that compromised sensation cannot.
At Vessl, we designed the Kinn specifically with these high-risk patients in mind. Our automatically adjusting socket continuously monitors and responds to volume fluctuations, redistributing pressure before dangerous concentrations can develop.
For the millions of diabetic amputees navigating this silent struggle, proactive technology is a lifeline.
Contact us to see the Kinn in action!
