Snowboarding with a below-knee prosthesis is compromised by the limited rotation capabilities of the existing below-knee prostheses, which are designed for use in normal walking. Based on snowboarding range of motion analyses, a novel below-knee prosthesis was designed with the aim to achieve similar range of motions like able-bodied snowboarders. The new prosthesis allows for passive inversion...

Over the past decades, the performance of the below-knee prosthesis has been significantly improved. However, below-knee amputees still experience many problems during locomotion. For example, they normally exhibit non-symmetric gait patterns, slower self-selected walking speeds, and higher gait metabolic rates compared to intact individuals. The objective of this project is to obtain both qual...

Problems are encountered in using standard prostheses in developing countries, especially when the prostheses need repair and the amputees cannot come back to the workshop. Very simple, low cost and durable prostheses can solve this problem. The solution described has worked well with villagers in some rural areas of Thailand, where the inexpensive prosthesis permits walking bare-foot and throu...

The Ilizarov fixator can be used as a bone regenerator to correct limb-length discrepancies in patients who require limb lengthening.A 17-year-old man presented with 12 cm of left lower-limb shortening and amputation at the left mid-forefoot region, which was the result of severe burns of the left lower limb at 2 years of age. The burns damaged the distal femoral, proximal, and distal tibial ph...

Unilateral, below-knee amputees have altered gait mechanics, which can significantly affect their mobility. Below-knee amputees lose the functional use of the ankle muscles, which are critical during walking to provide body support, forward propulsion, leg-swing initiation and mediolateral balance. Thus, either muscles must compensate or the prosthesis must provide the functional tasks normally...