Assessment of a Microprocessor Ankle for Low Mobility Individuals with Amputation

项目总结 微处理器控制的脚踝已被证明显著改善了关节的灵活性和稳定性 腿部截肢的个人，但这些设备通常只对行动能力较高的用户可用，因为 缺乏科学证据来证明保险报销是合理的。因此，许多较低收入的人 最需要先进技术的截肢手术是无法实现的。 这个第一阶段的应用描述了一种微处理器控制的脚踝假体，适用于患有较低... 肢体截肢，无缝适应不同的活动和地形，包括坡道行走和站立， 走楼梯，走极不平坦的地形。作为这一适应的结果，该设备是预期的，并已 已在初步工作中显示，以提高安全性，并增强这些地形的稳定性和舒适性。 这项第一阶段提案的主要目标是对拟议的 用于活动能力较低的截肢患者的假肢。这些证据对于证明保险是合理的至关重要。 因此，这是将微处理器技术带给个人的关键一步 K2移动性级别。为了做到这一点，调查人员提出了以下目标：1)使拟议的脚踝适应 优化K2截肢患者的表现，以及2)执行先导性研究(n=5)以量化 提出的踝关节与谓词非MPC踝关节在改善运动能力方面的有效性比较 适用于K2级截肢患者。

PROJECT SUMMARY Microprocessor-controlled ankles have been shown to substantially improve mobility and stability in individuals with lower limb amputation, but these devices are typically only available to higher mobility users due to a lack of scientific evidence to justify insurance reimbursement. As such, many of the individuals with lower limb amputation that have the greatest need for advanced technology are unable to attain it. This Phase I application describes a microprocessor-controlled ankle prosthesis for individuals with lower- limb amputation that adapts seamlessly to varying activities and terrain, including slope walking and standing, stair walking, and highly-uneven terrain walking. As a result of this adaptation, the device is expected, and has been shown in preliminary work, to improve safety and enhance stability and comfort across these terrains. The primary goal of this Phase I proposal is to conduct a preliminary assessment of the value of the proposed prosthesis on lower mobility individuals with lower limb amputation. Such evidence is critical to justify insurance reimbursement, and so it is a vital step in the process of bringing microprocessor technology to individuals at the K2 mobility level. In order to do so, the investigators propose the following aims: 1) adapt the proposed ankle to optimize performance for K2 individuals with lower limb amputation, and 2) perform a pilot study (n=5) to quantify the effectiveness of the proposed ankle as compared to a predicate non-MPC ankle in improving performance for K2 individuals with lower limb amputation.