Patent ID: 7837474

Claim:
A prosthesis device comprising: a residual limb model comprising: a soft cover made of an elastomeric material; a residual limb portion having a substantially rigid internal core and configured to resemble a residual limb; and a bladder complementary in shape to the residual limb portion; wherein the bladder encompasses an entire exterior of the residual limb portion to form a structure configured to be inserted into a check socket to facilitate training in donning and doffing of a prosthesis and training in care of the residual limb, and the bladder being configured such that inflation of the bladder outwardly expands the elastomeric material of the soft cover, and deflation of the bladder inwardly contracts the elastomeric material of the soft cover surrounding both the bladder and the residual limb portion to simulates at least one of a volume change in the residual limb, edema in the residual limb, and shrinkage in the residual limb; wherein the simulated volume change in the residual limb trains an amputee to manage and control limb volume changes within the residual limb; wherein the simulated edema in the residual limb trains the amputee to care for an edematous limb; and wherein the simulated shrinkage in the residual limb trains the amputee to shrink the residual limb and perform skin care in preparation for the prosthesis; and wherein the check socket is configured to retain at least a portion of the structure of the residual limb model such that the residual limb model is complementary in shape to the check socket.