Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ProHensor, and how is it different from other prosthetic hooks or devices?
The ProHensor® is a body-powered prosthetic terminal device designed for strong, responsive grasp and everyday function. It connects to a standard upper-limb prosthetic system and is operated through the user’s harness and cable.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ builds on that same body-powered control and adds Marins’ voluntary-closing auto-locking technology. This means the user can close on an object, lock the hold, and reduce the need to maintain constant cable tension. For many users, that can make holding, carrying, lifting, and working with both hands feel more secure and less fatiguing.
Is the ProHensor easy to use?
The ProHensor® is designed to feel familiar to users who already use a body-powered prosthesis. It uses direct body-powered control, so the user can feel and manage grip through movement and cable tension.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ may require some additional practice because it includes a locking function. Once fitted and adjusted properly by a prosthetist, users can learn when to use the locking hold and when to use standard voluntary-closing control.
Is it covered by insurance?
Coverage depends on your insurance plan, your clinical documentation, and the medical necessity determined by your prosthetist and care team.
The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ are prosthetic terminal devices, and your prosthetist can help determine the appropriate documentation and reimbursement pathway. Marins can provide product information to support your prosthetist or clinic, but insurance approval is not guaranteed.
Can I switch between the ProHensor and my current prosthetic?
In many cases, yes. The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ are designed to work with standard body-powered prosthetic systems, but compatibility depends on your current socket, wrist unit, harness, cable setup, and overall prosthetic configuration.
Your prosthetist should confirm whether either device can be used with your existing prosthesis or whether adjustments are needed.
Will I need to see a prosthetist to use the ProHensor
Yes. A prosthetist should evaluate, fit, and adjust the ProHensor® or ProHensor® VCAL™ as part of your prosthetic system.
Proper setup matters. Cable tension, harness fit, wrist compatibility, and user training all affect how the device performs. For the ProHensor® VCAL™, your prosthetist can also help you learn how to use the locking function safely and effectively.
Is it a good option if I've never used a prosthetic before?
It may be, but that decision should be made with a prosthetist. The ProHensor® may be appropriate for some new body-powered users because it offers direct control and strong functional grasp.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ may also be considered for new users, especially when secure holding is an important goal, but it includes an added locking function that requires instruction and practice. Your prosthetist can help determine which option best fits your goals, strength, daily activities, and training needs.
How is it different from a myoelectric hand?
A myoelectric hand uses sensors, batteries, motors, and electronics to open and close. The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ are body-powered, meaning they are operated through the user’s own body movement, harness, and cable system.
Body-powered devices are often valued for durability, direct control, feedback through the cable system, and use in active or demanding environments. The ProHensor® VCAL™ is different because it combines body-powered voluntary-closing control with an integrated locking hold, without relying on electronics or batteries.
How do I get one?
You can start by contacting Marins or speaking with your prosthetist. Marins can provide product information for both the ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™, answer questions, and work with your clinic to determine the best next step.
If you already have a prosthetist, they can evaluate whether one of these devices is appropriate for your current prosthetic setup.
Can I use it for tough jobs—yardwork, construction, dirty environments?
The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ were designed with active users in mind, including people who work, build, repair, lift, carry, and use their prosthesis in real-world environments.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ may be especially helpful when a secure sustained hold is needed, such as carrying materials, stabilizing tools, or working with both hands. As with any prosthetic device, your prosthetist should help determine whether it is appropriate for your specific tasks and safety needs.
What if it breaks? How long does it last?
The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ are designed for durability and serviceability. How long a device lasts depends on how often it is used, the type of work it is used for, the environment, and regular maintenance.
If there is a problem, contact your prosthetist or Marins. The ProHensor® VCAL™ was designed with serviceable modular components, which may help reduce downtime compared with devices that must be fully replaced when a key component wears or fails.
What are the clinical indications for the ProHensor VCAL?
The ProHensor® VCAL™ may be appropriate for upper-limb prosthetic users who would benefit from body-powered control with a secure, sustained hold. It is especially relevant for patients who need to grasp, carry, stabilize, lift, or work with objects without maintaining continuous cable tension throughout the task.
The device may be considered for active users, vocational users, users who perform bimanual tasks, and patients who need improved holding security in varied working positions. Final device selection should be based on the patient’s presentation, goals, strength, prosthetic history, socket fit, harness tolerance, and clinical judgment.
How does the ProHensor differ from a standard Hosmer hook?
The ProHensor® is a body-powered voluntary-closing terminal device designed for strong, responsive grasp and direct user control. Unlike many traditional voluntary-opening hooks, the user actively controls the closing force through the body-powered cable system.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ adds Marins’ voluntary-closing auto-locking technology. This allows the user to close on an object, engage a secure hold, and reduce the need for continuous cable tension during sustained grasp tasks. The distinction is important: ProHensor® provides voluntary-closing control, while ProHensor® VCAL™ provides voluntary-closing control with integrated auto-locking hold.
Is it compatible with standard components and harness systems?
Yes. The ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ are designed to work with standard body-powered upper-limb prosthetic systems, including common harness and cable setups.
Compatibility should be confirmed by the prosthetist based on the patient’s existing socket, wrist unit, cable routing, harness configuration, and functional needs. Proper setup, alignment, and cable tension are important for optimal performance.
How do I order for a patient?
Clinicians may contact Marins directly to discuss the patient’s needs, device selection, ordering pathway, lead time, and available documentation.
For clinical use, Marins can provide product information for both ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™, including specifications, fitting considerations, reimbursement support materials, and training resources. Ordering may be handled through direct invoice, purchase order, or another approved institutional process.
Can it be serviced in-clinic?
Yes. Serviceability is a core design consideration for Marins.
The ProHensor® VCAL™ was designed with modular, serviceable components so that certain maintenance and replacement procedures can be performed without replacing the entire terminal device. This may help reduce downtime for the patient and support ongoing prosthetic care within the clinical setting.
Specific service procedures should be performed by trained clinicians using Marins’ instructions and approved replacement components.
What training and resources are available?
Marins provides clinical resources to support evaluation, fitting, patient education, and documentation. Available resources may include product specifications, setup guidance, demonstration materials, patient-facing education, reimbursement support language, and clinical training content.
For the ProHensor® VCAL™, training focuses on voluntary-closing control, auto-locking hold, release mechanics, working envelope, safety considerations, and task-based use. Marins can also support clinics with demonstrations and clinician education when appropriate.
What HCPCS codes apply?
Coding should be determined by the treating clinician, supplier, payer, and documentation requirements for the individual patient.
For the ProHensor®, clinicians may evaluate whether an existing voluntary-closing terminal device code is appropriate based on the final configuration and payer requirements. For the ProHensor® VCAL™, clinicians may need to consider whether a not-otherwise-specified upper-extremity prosthetic code is appropriate when the locking VCAL function is not adequately described by an existing code.
Marins can provide product descriptions, technical specifications, and medical-necessity support materials, but Marins does not determine billing codes or guarantee reimbursement.
Can patients purchase directly?
Marins is primarily designed to work through prosthetists and clinical providers because proper evaluation, fitting, setup, and training are important to safe and effective use.
In limited circumstances, experienced prosthetic users may contact Marins directly for information. However, Marins recommends that both the ProHensor® and ProHensor® VCAL™ be evaluated and integrated by a qualified prosthetist as part of a complete prosthetic system.
What sets Marins apart?
Marins is focused on advancing body-powered upper-limb prosthetics rather than abandoning them. The company’s products are designed around real-world function, durability, serviceability, and user control.
The ProHensor® gives clinicians a modern voluntary-closing terminal device option. The ProHensor® VCAL™ builds on that platform with integrated auto-locking hold, giving users a body-powered option for sustained grasp without electronics or batteries.
Marins’ work is grounded in amputee-informed design, clinical collaboration, and the belief that body-powered technology still has significant room for innovation.