Peg leg of Józef Sowiński

A peg leg is a prosthesis, or artificial limb, fitted to the remaining stump of a human leg, especially a wooden one fitted at the knee. Its use dates to antiquity.

History

By the late 19th century, prosthetics vendors offered peg legs as cheaper alternatives to the intricate, lifelike artificial legs available at that time. Even as these vendors touted the advantages of more complicated prostheses over simple peg legs, according to a contemporary surgeon, many patients found peg legs more comfortable for walking. According to medical reports, some amputees adapted so well to using a peg leg that they could walk 10 or even 30 miles in one day.

Nowadays, wooden peg legs have been replaced by more modern materials, although some sports prostheses still maintain the same form.

Notable peg leg wearers

Further reading

Books

  • Murdoch, George and Wilson, A. Bennett (1998) A primer on amputations and artificial limbs C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, ISBN 0-398-06800-3
  • Pitkin, Mark R. (2009) Biomechanics of Lower Limb Prosthetics Springer verlag, New York, ISBN 978-3-642-03015-4
  • Seymour, Ron (2002) Prosthetics and orthotics: lower limb and spinal Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ISBN 0-7817-2854-1
  • Warren, D. W. (2001) James Gillingham: surgical mechanist & manufacturer of artificial limbs Somerset Industrial Archaeology Society, Taunton, England, ISBN 0-9533539-5-8

Articles

  • Bliquez, Lawrence J. (1996). "Prosthetics in Classical Antiquity: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Prosthetics". In Haase, Wolfgang (ed.). Philosophie, Wissenschaften, Technik. Wissenschaften (Medizin und Biologie [Forts.]). doi:. ISBN 9783110809008.
  • Cantos, Mae (2005) In: Whitelaw, William A. (2005) (editor) Proceedings of the 14h Annual History of Medicine Days Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, pp. 16–20, OCLC
  • Finch, Jacqueline (2011). . The Lancet. 377 (9765): 548–549. doi:. PMID . S2CID .
  • Padula, Patricia A.; Friedmann, Lawrence W. (1987). "Acquired Amputation and Prostheses Before the Sixteenth Century". Angiology. 38 (2): 133–141. doi:. PMID . S2CID .
  • Reeves, Nicholas (1999) "New lights on ancient Egyptian prosthetic medicine" In: Davies, W. V. (editor) (1999) Studies in Egyptian Antiquities. A Tribute to T.G.H. James British Museum Press, London, pp. 73–77, ISBN 0-86159-123-2
  • Thurston, Alan J. (2007). . ANZ Journal of Surgery. 77 (12): 1114–1119. doi:. PMID . S2CID .
  • Wilson, Philip D. (1922) [permanent dead link] The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 4: pp. 224–247