Article

The prosthetic foot plays an important role in propelling, breaking, balancing
and supporting body loads while the amputee ambulates on different grounds. It is
therefore important to quantify the effect of the prosthetic foot mechanism on
biomechanical parameters, in order to prevent pressure ulcers and deep tissue
injury. Our aim was to monitor the internal stresses in the residuum of
transtibial amputation (TTA) prosthetic-users ambulating on different terrains,
which the amputees encounter during their daily activities, i.e. paved floor,
grass, ascending and descending stairs and slope. We specifically aimed to
compare between the internal stresses in the TTA residuum of amputees ambulating
with a novel hydraulic prosthetic foot compared to conventional energy storage
and return (ESR) prosthetic feet. Monitoring of internal stresses was
accomplished using a portable subject-specific real-time internal stress monitor.
We found significant decrease (p<0.01) in peak internal stresses and in the
loading rate of the amputated limb, while walking with the hydraulic foot,
compared to walking with ESR feet. The loading rate calculated while ambulating
with the hydraulic foot was at least three times lower than the loading rate
calculated while ambulating with the ESR foot. Although the average decrease in
internal stresses was approximately 2-fold larger when replacing single-toe ESR
feet with the hydraulic foot than when replacing split-toed ESR feet with the
hydraulic foot, the differences were statistically insignificant. Our findings
suggest that using a hydraulic prosthetic foot may protect the distal tibial end
of the TTA residuum from high stresses, therefore preventing pressure-related
injury and pain.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS