Energy expenditure during walking in amputees after disarticulation of the hip. A microprocessor-controlled swing-phase control knee versus a mechanical-controlled stance-phase control knee.
We have compared the energy expenditure during walking in three patients, aged between 51 and 55 years, with unilateral disarticulation of the hip when using the mechanical-controlled stance-phase control knee (Otto Bock 3R15) and the microprocessor-controlled pneumatic swing-phase control knee (Intelligent Prosthesis, IP). All had an endoskeletal hip disarticulation prosthesis with an Otto Bock 7E7 hip and a single-axis foot. The energy expenditure was measured when walking at speeds of 30, 50, and 70 m/min. Two patients showed a decreased uptake of oxygen (energy expenditure per unit time, ml/kg/min) of between 10.3% and 39.6% when using the IP compared with the Otto Bock 3R15 at the same speeds. One did not show any significant difference in the uptake of oxygen at 30 m/min, but at 50 and 70 m/min, a decrease in uptake of between 10.5% and 11.6% was found when using the IP. The use of the IP decreased the energy expenditure of walking in these patients.
Chin
T
T
Hyogo Rehabilitation Center, Kobe, Japan.
Sawamura
S
S
Shiba
R
R
Oyabu
H
H
Nagakura
Y
Y
Nakagawa
A
A
D001186:Artificial Limbs; D004188:Disarticulation; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*