Amputee socks: thickness of multiple socks.
OBJECTIVE
It is unclear how total sock ply and thickness are related when more than one sock is worn. The objectives were to determine whether the thickness of one multi-ply amputee sock of ply P was the same as the thickness of a stack of reduced-ply socks of total ply P, and whether the thickness of N single socks stacked one on top of the other was equal to the sum (1 to N) of the single sock thicknesses.


METHODS
Using a custom instrument, compressive stresses were applied while sock thickness was measured.


CONCLUSIONS
The thickness of one multi-ply sock of ply P was typically less than the thickness of a stack of reduced-ply socks of total ply P. The thickness of N single socks stacked one on top of the other was approximately equal to the sum (1 to N) of the single sock thicknesses.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest three 1-ply socks to be 20% greater in thickness than one 3-ply sock, and one 3-ply + two 1-ply socks to be 30% greater in thickness than one 5-ply sock.
Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA.
John C
JC
Cagle
Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA.
Alan J
AJ
Yu
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA.
Marcia A
MA
Ciol
Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA jsanders@u.washington.edu.
Joan E
JE
Sanders
D000672:Amputation Stumps; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D003020:Clothing; D019245:Compressive Strength; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing
Prosthetic socks; limb management; prosthetic fit; residual limb; volume accommodation