Are there special concerns for older people with prosthetics?

Yes: The use of a lower extremity prosthetic requires more energy than use of the native limb. For people with an above knee amputation, the energy costs are higher than below knee. So if someone has poor cardiac function, they may not be a good candidate for a prosthesis. In people with diabetes whose sensation is impaired, there may be problems with skin integrity at the bottom of the residual limb.