Effect on gait using various prosthetic ankle-foot devices.
Five different commonly prescribed ankle-foot devices for below-knee prostheses were tested for effects on gait: SACH, SAFE, SEATTLE, SINGLE AXIS, and MULTIPLE AXIS. Subjective ratings by the amputees served to resolve which physical variables determined the preferred ankle-foot device. Ratings were related to age, body weight, length of residual limb, and ratio of stride frequency to stride length. Distinctions in performances were derived from analyses of anterior-posterior angular accelerations occurring in the prosthesis immediately following heel strike. The accelerations were characterized as a damped oscillatory waveform. These objective findings, when related to the subjective ratings, showed that the amputees preferred devices which developed the lesser shock and greater damping.
Wirta
R W
RW
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, CA 92161.
Mason
R
R
Calvo
K
K
Golbranson
F L
FL
D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000842:Ankle; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055656:Prescriptions; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000592:standards