Transfemoral prosthesis
Above the knee, the artificial knee does the work your own knee used to do, and choosing it is the biggest decision you will make. We match the knee to your strength, balance and daily walking, then shape the socket around your thigh so you can control it.
Reviewed by Ummad Shafique Mughal, Consultant Orthotist and Prosthetist. Updated October 2026.
In short
The short answer
An above knee (transfemoral) leg replaces the knee, lower leg and foot after an amputation through the thigh bone. It has a socket shaped around the thigh, a way of keeping it on, a knee joint, a pylon and a foot. Walking on it takes more effort than a below knee leg because your hip muscles now control the knee, so training matters as much as the parts.
Prices start at Rs 150,000 with a mechanical knee and rise past Rs 2,500,000 with imported hydraulic and microprocessor knees.
Is it right for you?
What goes into it
The knee is where the price range widens most. Everything else follows from the socket.
| Part | Local build | Imported build | What it changes for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socket | Laminated quadrilateral or ischial containment socket | Same, with a flexible inner socket and lower trim lines | Comfort when sitting and control of the knee |
| Suspension | Hip belt or suction valve | Silicone liner with pin lock or vacuum seal | How firmly the leg stays on, and how it feels in the heat |
| Knee | Manual locking or single-axis friction knee | Polycentric, hydraulic or microprocessor knee | Safety on rough ground, speed, slopes and stairs |
| Foot | SACH or local dynamic foot | Carbon fibre or hydraulic ankle foot | Smoothness, push-off and distance |
| Rotator | Usually not fitted | Rotation adapter above the knee | Sitting cross-legged and getting into a car |
| Cover | None, or a sock | Foam cover shaped to the other leg | How it looks under clothes |
Cost in 2026
Three legs can share the same socket and differ several times in price because of the knee.
Rs 150,000 to 2,500,000+open top end: imported parts
Laminated socket with belt or suction suspension, a manual locking or single-axis knee and a SACH or local foot. Stable and safe for first legs, older users and walking at home.
An imported polycentric or hydraulic knee, a silicone liner and an imported dynamic foot. Smoother walking outdoors and on slopes.
High-end hydraulic knees with vacuum suspension and premium feet. Microprocessor knees such as the Ottobock C-Leg or the Össur Rheo Knee usually cost more than this range on their own.
Indicative ranges. A firm figure comes in writing after the free assessment and does not change without your agreement. Full cost guide.
Your visits
We check the thigh, hip strength, balance and the other leg, and talk about your home and work.
An impression of the thigh, including the seat for the sitting bone.
You stand and step in a clear socket; we check comfort, control and sitting.
The knee and foot are set up and aligned while you walk between bars.
Weight shifting, knee control, stairs, slopes and getting up from the floor, over several sessions.
Above knee legs need more training than below knee legs. Families from out of town should plan for a longer stay or a second trip.
Locking knees stay straight while you walk and unlock with a lever or pull cord when you sit. They are the safest choice for first legs, older users and anyone with poor balance, but the walk is stiff. See locking knees.
Single-axis friction knees are simple and cheap. They swing freely, so you control them with your hip. Good for strong users on a tight budget.
Polycentric knees have four bars instead of one hinge. They feel very stable when you stand on them and shorten while swinging, so the toe clears the ground. A favourite for longer stumps and many older walkers. See polycentric knees.
Hydraulic knees adjust their resistance to your walking speed, so the leg keeps up whether you walk slowly through a bazaar or briskly to catch a bus. See hydraulic knees.
Microprocessor knees use sensors to control the resistance many times a second. They catch stumbles, make slopes and step-over-step stairs possible and reduce falls, but they cost a great deal, need daily charging and need servicing. See microprocessor knees.
An above knee socket has to hold the thigh firmly enough to control the knee, yet let you sit on a hard chair without pain. Older quadrilateral sockets support the sitting bone on a ledge. Ischial containment sockets wrap around it, which many users find more stable when walking. Long thigh stumps give more control; short ones need more help from the socket and suspension.
Suspension matters too. A belt is cheap and simple. Suction holds the leg without straps but can lose its seal when you sweat. A silicone liner with a pin or a seal is the most comfortable in the heat for most users.
Training starts between parallel bars: shifting weight onto the leg, trusting the knee, then taking steps. Next come turning, sitting and standing, walking with a stick or crutches, and finally stairs and slopes. For stairs, the rule most people learn is "up with the good leg, down with the artificial one".
We also teach how to fall safely and how to get up from the floor, because sooner or later everybody falls once. Families are welcome to watch the sessions so they know how to help at home without over-helping.
Floor sitting. A rotation adapter lets you turn the lower leg aside to sit cross-legged on a dastarkhwan or at a gathering. Many users simply take the leg off for long sittings.
Toilets. Squatting toilets are hard with an above knee leg. A commode seat over the squat pan, or a western toilet, makes daily life much easier and safer.
Namaz. Most users pray standing with the leg on and use a chair for ruku and sajda. Our namaz and wudu guide explains the options.
Heat. A full thigh socket is warm. Take short breaks in summer to dry the skin and the liner, and keep a spare liner if you sweat heavily.
Walking on an above knee leg uses noticeably more energy than normal walking. Young, fit users often walk long distances without aids. Older users, especially after diabetic or vascular amputation, may use the leg mainly for standing, transfers and walking around the house, and that can still change daily life a great deal. We talk this through honestly at the assessment, and our page on legs for elderly patients explains the choices.
Travelling to us?
Tell us your city or country and your travel dates when you call. We plan the visits as close together as the stump allows, so most patients can finish the casting, test socket and fitting in one stay, whether they come from Quetta or fly in from Dubai, with a shorter trip later for adjustments if needed.
Questions
The best knee is the one you can control safely. First-time and older users often start with a locking or polycentric knee. Active walkers who go out every day do better with hydraulic knees, and microprocessor knees add stumble recovery and confident slopes for people who walk a lot.
It depends on the model and the exchange rate when it is imported, but on its own a microprocessor knee usually costs more than our Rs 2,500,000 upper range for a whole leg. We give the exact figure in writing after the assessment, and we will say honestly if a hydraulic knee would serve you as well.
Sitting on a chair is easy. For floor sitting, a rotation adapter above the knee lets you turn the lower leg aside, and many users simply take the leg off for long gatherings.
Most people need several training sessions and a few weeks of daily practice to walk confidently indoors, and a few months for outdoor walking and stairs. Younger and stronger users get there sooner.
Sometimes, yes, especially for standing, transfers and short walks at home. We assess balance, strength and heart and lung health honestly. For some a light leg with a locking knee is right; for others a good wheelchair serves better.
Related
For amputation through the knee: an end-bearing stump and a compact knee.
Read moreSmooth, speed-adapting knees for daily outdoor walking.
Read moreSensor-controlled knees for active above knee users who walk a lot.
Read moreLight, safe legs for standing, transfers and walking at home.
Read moreWe import and fit parts from Ottobock, Össur, Blatchford, Proteor, Fillauer and other makers to order, and we are independent of all of them. Brands we fit.
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