A Brief History of Prosthetics and Orthotics of the Lower Body and Their Types

Abstract

Prosthetics and orthotics are items taken for granted in today's day and age. However, this has not always been the case. The history of these everyday items is long and very colorful. In this chapter, the authors shed light on the history and development of prosthetics and orthotics of the lower body in order to better understand the current state of the art in the fields. A historical perspective is provided followed by enumeration of the types of devices and techniques available without going into the form and function of individual products.