07/09/2026
When you only got photos… you make it work 😂
But the story behind these photos is actually pretty incredible.
Ever wondered how someone actually controls a myoelectric prosthetic hand?
One of our participants has been learning to use a myoelectric prosthetic hand following a transradial (mid-forearm) amputation and the technology behind it is pretty incredible.
When she thinks about opening or closing her hand, the muscles in her forearm contract and create tiny electrical signals.
Sensors inside the prosthetic detect those signals and use them to control the hand. For example, when one set of muscles contracts, the hand opens. When another contracts, it closes around an object.
But learning to use it goes even further than open and close.
With support from our Occupational Therapy team, she’s been learning proportional control adjusting how strongly she activates her muscles to control the speed and strength of the prosthetic hand. A stronger muscle signal creates a faster or stronger movement, while a smaller signal allows for more delicate control.
She’s now progressed to trialling multi-articulating prosthetic hands, where individual fingers can move independently to create different grip patterns from a pinch grip using the thumb and index finger to grips designed for holding objects of different shapes and sizes.
And then comes the most important part: turning all of that practice into everyday life.
Holding keys and cards. Preparing meals. Baking. Dressing. Washing and painting. Carrying shopping. Stabilising objects with one hand while working with the other.
The next step is finding the prosthetic that best suits her needs and continuing therapy so switching between grips and movements becomes more intuitive in everyday situations.
Pretty incredible what technology + therapy can do.
