Body-Powered Prosthesis
An upper-limb prosthesis that uses a harness-and-cable system harnessing the user's own body movements to operate the terminal device.
Full Definition
A body-powered prosthesis relies on a harness worn around the opposite shoulder and/or chest, connected via a Bowden cable to the terminal device (hook or hand). Movements such as scapular abduction or biscapular abduction transmit mechanical force along the cable to open or close the terminal device. Editors should distinguish this from 'myoelectric prosthesis' (electrically powered, muscle-signal-driven) and ensure consistent hyphenation of the compound modifier. The term appears in prescription documents, journal articles, and insurance justification letters.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as a compound modifier before a noun ('body-powered prosthesis'). Do not confuse with 'hybrid prosthesis,' which combines body-power and myoelectric components.
In Context
- "For heavy-duty vocational tasks, the rehabilitation team recommended a body-powered prosthesis over the myoelectric alternative." — Functional assessment report
- "The manuscript incorrectly referred to the device as 'body powered' without the hyphen required by the journal style guide." — Peer-review editorial note