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能够自动适应每一步不同表面坡度的机械被动踝足原型，并测试单侧胫骨截肢退伍军人在倾斜仪表式跑步机上使用该原型时的功能。在试点研究的两年时间框架内，将设计、制造和测试两个原型，以确定这一新装置的可行性。该设计的独特功能使其可以针对不同的步行斜坡改变其有效的对齐方式，同时还为步行的摆动阶段提供了一个中性或略有背伸的脚踝位置。多达三名单侧胫骨截肢的退伍军人将参与这项研究。受试者将接受专门护理截肢者的物理治疗师对原型的使用培训，并将在不同的斜坡上行走，以适应该设备。在受试者习惯了该装置后，他们将带着它在设置为不同坡度(-10、-5、0、5和10度)的分带式仪表式跑步机上行走，同时测量地面反作用力。还将使用八摄像头运动分析系统来测量在不同斜坡上行走时的脚踝运动。将检查踝关节扭矩与踝关节角度的特征，以确定踝关节是否如预期的那样适应。我们还将测量在不同的倾斜表面上行走时感觉到的用力和关节舒适性，并期待与受试者正常的非适应性踝足假体相比，适应性踝足假体在这两个指标上都有所改善。

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.