Prosthesis Without Surgery (orthotics)

Many people think of a an object that completely encloses a limb when they hear the term prosthesis, but prosthesis for PFFD individuals can mean any number of things. For example a large lift on a shoe, to a lift + ankle support device, to a hip/foot/leg device as in the [[Alternatives to Surgery in the Treatment of PFFD| Moseley Device]] to a cast-like object that covers the foot/leg/knee. Which to use will depend on the age of the person with PFFD, the hip, the knee, the tibia, the ankle and the foot, etc. E.g. mostly with how well the bones of the shorter leg can support the weight of the person.

Two issues arise with the last option (a fully enclosing prosthesis). If the foot is left in it's natural pointing forward position, the prosthesis will have a large socket which some may find cosmetically unacceptable. If the foot is pointed downward to make the socket smaller, the stump is now longer and may cause the knee joint to be too low.

The major benefit of using a prosthesis is that the child does not have to endure any surgeries and functionality can be excellent. Children with PFFD who grow up using prosthesis can run, jump, and be as active as normal-legged children. Also, if the parent is hoping for some newer limb lengthening methods in the future, the foot would still be in place.