Development of a Passive Adaptive Ankle-Foot Prosthesis

描述（由申请人提供）： 该项目的目的是开发机械被动假肢踝足原型，可以自动适应不同的表面坡度的每一步，并测试功能的退伍军人与单侧经胫骨截肢时，使用的原型在倾斜的仪器跑步机。将在试点研究的两年时间范围内设计、制造和测试两个原型，以确定这种新器械的可行性。该设计的独特功能使其能够针对不同的步行坡度改变其有效对齐，同时还为步行的摆动阶段提供中性或轻微背屈的踝关节位置。多达三名单侧经胫骨截肢的退伍军人将参加这项研究。受试者将接受物理治疗师的原型使用培训，该物理治疗师专门负责截肢者的护理，并将在各种斜坡上行走以适应该设备。在受试者习惯该装置后，他们将在设置为不同坡度（-10、-5、0、5和10度）的分裂带仪表跑步机上行走，同时测量地面反作用力。一个八摄像机运动分析系统也将被用来测量脚踝运动在不同的斜坡上行走。将检查踝关节扭矩与踝关节角度特征，以确定踝关节是否按预期进行适应。我们还将测量在不同斜面上行走时的感知用力和承窝舒适度，并期望自适应踝足假体与受试者的正常非自适应踝足假体相比在这两项指标上都有所改善。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aims of this project are to develop mechanically passive prosthetic ankle-foot prototypes that can automatically adapt to different surface slopes on every step and to test the function of veterans with unilateral transtibial amputations when using the prototypes on an inclined instrumented treadmill. Two prototypes will be designed, manufactured, and tested within the two year time frame of the pilot study to determine the feasibility of this new device. The unique features of the design allow it to change its effective alignment for different walking slopes while also providing a neutral or slightly dorsiflexed ankle position for the swing phase of walking. Up to three veterans with unilateral transtibial amputations will participate in the study. The subjects will receive training on use of the prototype by a physical therapist that specializes in care of persons with amputations and will walk on a variety of slopes to become accustomed to the device. After subjects are accustomed to the device, they will walk with it on a split-belt instrumented treadmill set to different slopes (-10, -5, 0, 5, and 10 degrees) while ground reaction forces are measured. An eight-camera motion analysis system will also be used to measure the ankle motion during walking on the different slopes. Ankle torque versus ankle angle characteristics will be examined to determine if the ankle is adapting as expected. We will also measure perceived exertion and socket comfort when walking on the different sloped surfaces and expect the adaptable ankle-foot prosthesis to provide improvements on both measures compared to subjects' normal non-adaptable ankle-foot prostheses.