Terms used to talk about limb difference

As the parent or carer of a child with limb difference you will hear different terms used to talk about limb difference and associated medical conditions, body parts, prosthetics, aids and equipment. Some words will be familiar to you, and some will be unfamiliar or technical terminology used by medical professionals, clinicians and service providers.

Choosing your words for limb difference

Children with limb differences are often described as ‘amputees’ by the medical sector. If you are uncomfortable with your child being referred to as an amputee because it does not accurately describe them, let people know what your preferred term is.

When anyone else uses words to describe your child that you consider to be incorrect, inappropriate or unpleasant, gently correct them and help them to understand. Often they don’t know which words to use, and are doing their best.

Find out more about talking about your child’s limb difference

Abduction

Movement of a limb away from the body

Acheiria

Congenital absence of one or both hands

Adduction

Movement of a limb towards the body

Adyctyly

Congenital absence of one or more fingers or toes

Alignment

Position of prosthetic socket in relation to foot and knee

Amelia

Absence of a limb

Amniotic band

A fibrous string-like structure in the womb that can occasionally restrict blood flow and affect the baby’s development

Ankle disarticulation

Ankle disarticulation amputation through the ankle joint (historically called a Symes amputation)

Aphalangia

Absent fingers or toes

Aplasia

Absence of specific bones and parts

Arthrogryposis

Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenital is a rare condition characterized by contracture of the joints

Assistive device

Tool or technology that promotes independence by enabling people to perform tasks that were previously impossible or difficult

Atrophy

Wasting of tissues and muscles

Bilateral

Affecting both sides (eg. both legs)

Brachydactyly

Short finger or thumb

Cadence

Number of steps walked in one minute

Camptodactyly

When fingers are bent or cannot fully straighten

Carpal bones

The cluster of bones in the hand between the forearm (radius and ulna) and the metacarpals (long bones in the hand)

Check socket

A temporary socket used for testing the fit of the prosthesis

Clinodactyly

Curvature of finger or thumb towards the adjacent fingers

Congenital limb deficiency / difference

Absence of a limb or part of a limb at the time of birth

Contra-lateral

Relating to the opposite side

Contracture

A shortening of muscle and/or tendons, often leading to a limb or body part bending in an unusual direction

Cosmetic cover

The outside layer of a prosthesis to give it a realistic appearance

Digital amputation

Amputation of toe or finger

Dorsiflexion

The position of the foot when the toes are pulling up (eg. if you stand on your heels your ankle is dorsiflexed)

Donning

Putting the prosthesis on (eg. donning your prosthesis)

Dysplasia

Abnormal development of bones and soft tissues

Early childhood intervention

Services that provide specialised support and services for infants and young children with developmental delay or disability

Ectrodactyly

Partial or total absence of central fingers

Femur

Thigh bone

Fibula

The smaller leg bone which runs down the outside leg below the knee

Flexion

The movement of a body segment into a more bent position (eg. bending the knee is the same as flexing the knee)

Extension

The movement of a body segment into a more straight position (eg. straightening the knee is the same as extending the knee)

Gait

The study of how a person walks – your walking ‘style’ is your gait

Hemimelia

Absence of half a limb

Hip disarticulation

Amputation through the hip joint

Humerus

Upper arm bone

Hypoplasia

Under-development of bones and tissues

Knee disarticulation

Amputation through the knee joint

Lateral

Outside aspect of leg and arm when body is in a normal position

Liner

The sleeve that goes between the prosthetic socket and the limb

Medial

Inside of the leg and arm when the body is in a normal position

Metacarpals

A group of five long bones in the hand located between the carpal bones and the phalanges (finger bones)

Meromelia

Partial absence of a limb

Milestones

The theoretical stages of child development

Myoelectric prosthesis

Uses the electrical signals from voluntarily contracted muscles in a person’s residual limb to control the movements of the prosthesis

Neuroma

A collection of fibrous tissue often found around a cut nerve ending in a residual limb that can cause pain on palpation

Oedema

Swelling of the stump or extremity

Palpation

Part ofa physical examination where the examiner uses their hands to examine certain body parts

Partial foot amputation

Amputation of a part of the foot (also known as Chopart, Lisfranc, Ray amputations)

Patella

Kneecap

Patella tendon

Tendon attaching the kneecap to the top of the tibia

Pylon

The pole connecting sections of the prosthesis

Plantar-flexion

The downward movement of the foot (eg. if you walk on your toes your ankle is plantar-flexed)

Phalanges

The long bones in the fingers and toes

Phantom pain

The feeling of pain in an absent limb

Phantom sensation

Awareness of the amputated limb

Phocomelia

Flipper-like appendage attached to the trunk

Pistoning

When the residual limb moves excessively in and out of the socket when walking

Polydactyly

More than the normal number of fingers or thumbs

Pressure area

Tender or broken skin caused by prolonged or excessive pressure

Prosthesis

Artificial limb

Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD)

Rare, non-hereditary birth defect affecting the hip joint and femur, resulting in a deformed hip joint and a shorter leg

Radius

Long forearm bone on the thumb side

Residual limb

The remaining part of the limb, sometimes referred to as a ‘stump’

Rigid dressing

A hard protective cover or a cast applied soon after amputation to control swelling and protect the residual limb

Shoulder disarticulation

Amputation through the shoulder joint

Shrinker

A compression sock used to control swelling in the residual limb after amputation

Socket

The custom made part of the prosthesis which encases the residual limb

Step length

The distance from one foot contacting the ground until the other foot contacts the ground

Stride length

The distance from one foot contacting the ground until that same foot contacts the ground again

Stump volume

Size of the residual limb

Stump sock

A sock worn over residual limb to provide a cushion between the skin and socket

Suspension

Refers to how the prosthesis is held on

Symes amputation

Amputation through the ankle joint

Symbrachydactyly

Under-developed hand with central finger deficiencies

Symphalangia

Stiff fingers or thumb from fusion of bones

Syndactyly

Webbed fingers or thumb

Synostosi

Bone fusion

Tarsal bones

The group of small bones in the foot (including the heel bone) that join the lower leg bone to the metatarsals

Terminal device

The attachment on the end of an upper limb prosthesis (eg. hooks, hands, specialized tools)

Transfemoral amputation

Amputation above the knee through the femur

Transhumeral amputation

Amputation above the elbow through the humerus

Transmetacarpal amputation

Amputation through the metacarpal bones

Transmetatarsal amputation

Amputation through the metatarsal bones

Transtibial amputation

Amputation below knee through the tibia and fibula bones

Transradial amputation

Amputation below elbow through the bones of the radius and ulna (the bones between the elbow and wrist – the forearm)

Tibia

Shin bone, the large bone at the lower front of the leg

Ulna

Long forearm bone on the little finger side

Unilateral

Affecting one side

Walking velocity

Speed of walking

Weight transference

Moving weight from one foot or side to the other

Wrist disarticulation

Amputation through the wrist joint

Vacterl

A non-random association of birth defects

Van Ness rotationplasty

Surgical removal of the foot followed by reattachment to the femur but rotated 180 degrees, so the ankle now functions as the knee joint