Physical sciences

In the original edition of Prosthetics and Orthotics International, Dr Sidney Fishman identified what he anticipated as foundational educational needs for the emerging field of clinical prosthetics and orthotics. Within the broader construct of the physical sciences, this included mathematics, physics, chemistry, biomechanics, and material sciences. The clinical application of these disciplines to expanding the collective understanding within the field is described, including the biomechanics of able-bodied and prosthetic gait, the material science of socket construction, the physics of suspension and load distribution, and the engineering of prosthetic components to mimic human biomechanics. Additional applications of the physical sciences to upper limb prosthetics and lower limb orthotics are also described. In contemplating the continued growth and maturation of the field in the years to come, mechatronics and statistics are suggested as future areas where clinical proficiency will be required.