# I Found a Prosthetic Leg **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395 "2003-06-17T06:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fnord1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@fnord1966](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fnord1966)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/21 "2003-06-18T05:33:55Z")
It might have just been someone screwing with your head? I have always thought it would be fun to drive around my city, visiting stores and leaving various prosthetic devices in abnormal places. An example would be one of those hook arms, hung up on a kitchen utensil rack, a drawer filled with glass eyes (in the security office), a foot, tied into a shoe, left on the wall at a Big 5. I might be a little strange, but people like me that way. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/22 "2003-06-18T05:49:05Z")
Regarding the OP, most modern prosthetic legs don’t use straps, but use what’s called a suction socket to anchor the leg to the stump, i.e. residual limb in today’s lingo. While some people use a type of waistband for support, straps would likely only be used if the leg was off right at the hip, with no stump to support the leg. It likely was a prank, as **fnord1966** suggested. Perhaps I should start an “Ask the one-legged dude” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/23 "2003-06-18T06:16:26Z")
Hmm…that would explain why nobody has claimed it yet. I’ll ask tomorrow if it’s been claimed, and if the mystery’s been solved. Stay tuned for further developments. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/24 "2003-06-18T11:41:32Z")
Does that mean that if no one claims it you can? That would be a killer white elephant gift. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/25 "2003-06-18T12:02:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Klaatu \* > \*\*Regarding the OP, most modern prosthetic legs don’t use straps, but use what’s called a suction socket to anchor the leg to the stump, i.e. residual limb in today’s lingo. > > While some people use a type of waistband for support, straps would likely only be used if the leg was off right at the hip, with no stump to support the leg. > > It likely was a prank, as **fnord1966** suggested. > > Perhaps I should start an “Ask the one-legged dude” thread. \*\* Could somebody have used the changing room as a place to switch legs, then discard the used one? ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/26 "2003-06-18T12:09:13Z")
When my aunt passed away in a nursing home, the home sent her belongings to my mother (who lives in a different state). My mother wasn’t expecting the package, and it wasn’t obvious from the return address who the package was from. When my mom opened the package, it contained, among other things, a prosthetic leg with a name on it that wasn’t my aunt’s. It was eventually determined that the package came from the nursing home, but they denied all knowledge of the leg. They told my mom to send it back. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/27 "2003-06-18T13:04:50Z")
Denied all knowledge of the leg? I wish I could have seen the office workers trying to hash that one out! “I asked Marlene to pack the belongings. She must’ve put the leg in the box.” “I did no such thing. I no nothing about a leg.” “Well who else was around when you packed the box?” “Don’t look at me! I didn’t touch the leg.” ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/28 "2003-06-18T14:38:23Z")
i know this guy who did a tandem jump over a huge bog in Ireland, and due to the shock of the parachute opening, lost his prosthetic leg. He never found it again. Maybe it’s his? his is only half a leg, though (from the knee down. Yes, cos from the knee up would just be plain weird) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![psychomonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@psychomonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychomonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/29 "2003-06-18T15:26:52Z")
I want a leg. Ive been planning on making a lamp ot of a roadcone, but I think a Leg would be so much cooler. There was a robbery around here at a convenience store last year or so, and the kid got away with like $50 and the clerk’s prosthetic leg. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/30 "2003-06-18T15:30:03Z")
I say, give the leg to **psychomonkey**. He kneeds it more than you do. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![psychomonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@psychomonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychomonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/31 "2003-06-20T03:25:42Z")
How true, right now, my lightbulb is just sitting on the floor, making it very hard to read. Sigh if only i had something to prop it up on. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395/32 "2003-06-20T20:42:45Z")
-cackle- You could name it My Left Foot, and it could become the centerpiece of many of your best conversations. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-prosthetic-leg/182395.md?page=1)