“I tap my fingers and I feel the sensation travel through them. I find that amazing. Also, my new fingers provide the extension that I need for performing everyday tasks at work. I cannot express how well this has helped me to overcome my injury. My focus has returned to what I am doing instead of being reminded of my accident. Even my friends say that I’m back to my old self!”
This client had three partial finger amputations due to trauma. She received three partial finger prostheses and immediately was able to adapt to them. Her ability to “feel” her fingers is called proprioception.
Here’s an example of proprioception we’re more familiar with:
When you use a racket in tennis, you can feel the moment the ball strikes the racket even though you don’t touch the ball with your hand. You know the difference if it hits the sweet spot or the edge.
Likewise, amputees with finger prostheses experience proprioception as they relearn many old activities.