Leather as a potential liner for the prosthetic leg users

Wear comfort and hygiene is responsible for the significant improvement in the life quality of many amputees and in this regard liners have an important role for the prosthetic leg users. They are protective materials used as covers and worn over the residual limb before the socket to prevent the discomfort occurred during the movements of the patients. Liners are made of different synthetic flexible materials and designed with specific features for different suspension systems. Selecting a correct liner depends on the activity level and needs of the users in addition to the suspension system of the prosthetic leg. Although liners ensure wearing comfort to the users, feeling uncomfortable occurs due to perspiration and lack of evaporation. In this context, leather has advantages due to its triple helix collagen fibers and seems to be a perfect alternative natural material to synthetic liners. For this purpose, the production of a leather liner as an alternative to synthetic liners was aimed to perform for the prosthetic leg users. Chromium free leathers were manufactured based on the properties of the synthetic liners found in the market and the physical, mechanical and comfort properties of the liners in terms of water vapor permeability, static water absorption, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, rubbing fastness and thickness were determined. The results revealed that leather could be used as an alternative natural liner for the use of prosthetic legs and has become prominent due to its wear comfort, hygiene and mechanical properties.