Systematic variation of prosthetic foot spring affects center-of-mass mechanics and metabolic cost during walking.

ABSTRACT: Lower-limb amputees expend more energy to walk than non-amputees and have an elevated risk of secondary disabilities. Insufficient push-off by the prosthetic foot may be a contributing factor. We aimed to systematically study the effect of prosthetic foot mechanics on gait, to gain insight into fundamental prosthetic design principles. We varied a single parameter in isolation, the energy-storing spring in a prototype prosthetic foot, the controlled energy storage and return (CESR) foot, and observed the effect on gait. Subjects walked on the CESR foot with three different springs. We performed parallel studies on amputees and on non-amputees wearing prosthetic simulators. In both groups, spring characteristics similarly affected ankle and body center-of-mass (COM) mechanics and metabolic

SUBMITTER: Zelik KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4286327 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature