Adjust the fit like a shoe.
A below-knee socket made with the standard thermoforming process, with a laced slot down the front. When the limb swells or shrinks, the wearer tightens or loosens the laces, with no extra appointment.
Prototype. Not clinically validated or FDA-cleared.
The kit
Cutting template
Marks where the slot and grommets go on a standard socket.
Grommets
Reinforce the lace holes so the plastic doesn’t tear.
Laces
Replaceable. Any shoelace works as a spare.
Breathable panel
Covers the slot behind the laces and lets air through.
Assembly manual
Written for prosthetists and technicians, with pictures for every step.
How it’s built
- 01
Thermoform the below-knee socket as usual.
- 02
Place the template on the front of the socket and mark the slot and grommet holes.
- 03
Cut the slot and punch the holes.
- 04
Set the grommets and fit the panel.
- 05
Lace it up and fit it to the patient. Early-access partners get the full illustrated manual.
How it compares
Adjustable sockets already exist in the U.S., but they rely on proprietary dials, frames or electronics and are priced for insurance billing. LaceFit brings adjustment to the standard socket instead.
| Option | How it works | LaceFit by comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Standard thermoplastic socketWhat most people wear today | Thermoformed to a cast of the limb; fit is managed by adding or removing socks and padding. | LaceFit adds adjustment to this same socket, using the same process, for a few dollars of parts. |
| Click Medical (RevoFit), BLACKFIN, Ottobock VarosDial-adjustable | Proprietary dials and cables tighten panels of the socket. | Laces and grommets are ordinary parts a prosthetist can replace on the spot; proprietary dials have to be reordered. |
| LIM Innovations, Martin Bionics, QuorumModular adjustable frames | Purpose-built adjustable frames or socketless designs fitted by trained prosthetists. | LaceFit upgrades the socket a prosthetist already makes instead of replacing it with a new system. |
| VesslAutomatic adjustment | The socket adjusts itself as limb volume changes. | LaceFit has no motors or electronics to charge, maintain or keep dry. |
| XtremityFaster fabrication | Injection-molded preform in 7 sizes, adjusted with a heat gun. | LaceFit needs no proprietary preform and no special heating unit. |