Report on the Evaluation of the VA/SEATTLE Ankle. The Rehabilitation R&D Evaluation Unit, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The VA/SEATTLE Ankle was researched and developed by the Prosthetics Research Study (PRS), Seattle, WA under the sponsorship of the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs. This report presents an evaluation of the project conducted by the Rehabilitation R&D Evaluation Unit (REU), the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS), and the PSAS at 13 VA Medical Centers. The ankle is a lightweight lower limb prosthesis of monolithic design weighting 300 g (10.5 oz.) with a maximum pylon length of 15 1/2 in. Energy storage and release and three-axis motion are all accomplished via a specifically designed convolution in the distal region (ankle) of the pylon. This convolution provides rotation (+/- 5 degrees), inversion/eversion (+/- 3 degrees) and dorsi/plantar flexion (+/- 5 degrees). The ankle showed no signs of fracture or wear through laboratory test procedures of 500,000 cycles of the ankle attached to a conventional type SACH foot under a dynamic load. Performance of the VA/SEATTLE Ankle was found to be acceptable and reliable with a wide variety of users and its commercial production was recommended.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000842:Ankle; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005684:Gait; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires