Prosthetic alignment is an important factor in the overall fit and performance of a lower-limb prosthesis. However, the association between prosthetic alignment and control strategies used by persons with transfemoral amputation to coordinate the movement of a passive prosthetic knee is poorly understood. This study investigated the biomechanical response of persons with transfemoral amputation...

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Artificial tactile feedback systems can improve prosthetic function for people with amputation by substituting for lost proprioception in the missing limb. However, limited data exists to guide the design and application of these systems for mobility and balance scenarios. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a noninvasive artificial sensory feedback (ASF) system on lowe...

How does the inherent asymmetry of the locomotor system in people with lower-limb amputation affect the ankle-foot roll-over shape of prosthetic walking? In a single-case design, we evaluated the walking patterns of six people with lower-limb amputation (3 transtibial and 3 transfemoral) and three matched nondisabled controls. We analyzed the walking patterns in terms of roll-over characteristi...

BACKGROUND Abnormal mechanics of locomotion following lower-extremity amputation are associated with increases in trunk motion, which in turn may alter loads at the low back due to changes in inertial and gravitational demands on the spine and surrounding trunk musculature. METHODS Over-ground gait data were retrospectively compiled from two groups walking at similar self-selected speeds (~1....

Sir,?As a layman, I.suppose it is. altogether out of order for me to invite the hospitality of your columns on the subject of artificial legs, but as seldom a day passes without my receiving letters of inquiry from civilians who have had the misfortune to lose a leg, I thought I might, as a thoroughly contented wearer of an artificial leg (above knee amputation), be forgiven for intruding. All ...

Despite the fact that non-level walking is known to be important for prosthesis fitting, its clinical significance has not been investigated. In this study, the acceptable prosthesis alignment ranges of six subjects with transtibial amputation on level and non-level walking were determined and compared. With the aid of a recently developed alignment jig, prosthesis fitting was performed for eac...

The benefits of microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees (MPKs) have been well established in community ambulators (Medicare Functional Classification Level [MFCL]-3) with a transfemoral amputation (TFA). A systematic review of the literature was performed to analyze whether limited community ambulators (MFCL-2) may also benefit from using an MPK in safety, performance-based function and mobi...

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Control of infection after a failed two-stage TKA is not always possible, and the resolution of infection may require an above-knee amputation (AKA) or a the-knee (KF). The purpose of this review is to determine which treatment method (AKA or KF) yields better function and ambulatory status for patients...