Article

Polycentric knees for transfemoral prostheses have a variety of
geometries, but a survey of literature shows that there are few ways of comparing
their performance. Our objective was to present a method for
performance comparison of polycentric knee geometries and design a new geometry.
STUDY DESIGN: In this work, we define parameters to compare various commercially
available prosthetic knees in terms of their stability, toe clearance, maximum
flexion, and so on and optimize the parameters to obtain a new knee design.
METHODS: We use the defined parameters and optimization to design a new knee
geometry that provides the greater stability and toe clearance necessary to
navigate uneven terrain which is typically encountered in developing countries.
RESULTS: Several commercial knees were compared based on the defined parameters
to determine their suitability for uneven terrain. A new knee was designed based
on optimization of these parameters. Preliminary user testing indicates that the
new knee is very stable and easy to use. CONCLUSION: The methodology can be used
for better knee selection and design of more customized knee geometries. Clinical
relevance The method provides a tool to aid in the selection and design of
polycentric knees for transfemoral prostheses.

Langue : ANGLAIS