Measuring in-socket residual limb volume fluctuation

总结 拟议研究的长期目标是向肢体尺寸管理的范式转变，而不是 接受腔尺寸管理的假肢使用者在白天经历接受腔配合变化。的重点 应用是实现和优化一种新的肢体体积管理策略，然后表征其 对假体使用者临床结局、健康和生活质量的影响。 拟议研究的具体目的是监测用户活动和安装假肢的承窝配合， 具有新颖的插座释放/重新锁定机构。插座释放是在坐着时缓解肢体插座压力， 而重新锁定是返回到正常的套接字配置。执行不同的释放/重新锁定操作， 坐姿及其对随后的步行肢体力学、接受腔配合和功能结果的影响， 测试.对患者结局最有利的程序是在长期测试中实施的。参与者穿着 在其自由生活环境中使用具有承窝释放/重新锁定机制的假体四周。结果 测量结果与传统插座的结果进行了比较。 为了实现这些目标，监测假肢使用和肢体-插座距离的不显眼的传感器 接受腔配合的功能集成到具有电机驱动接受腔释放/重新锁定机构的假体中。一个重复的- 使用标准化协议进行测量研究，以确定是否需要重新锁定引脚和插座 接受腔释放后的再锁定影响随后的肢体液体容量保留、肢体垂直和角度位置， 插座、用户舒适度和功能性能。进行交叉研究以确定是否使用 与传统的关节窝相比，释放/重新锁定关节窝4周可增强参与者的活动性，关节窝的适应性， 自我报告的结果、能量水平和残肢健康。 拟议的应用与公共卫生的相关性是更好地了解如何使用活性药物， 释放/重新锁定影响用户对假体的体验，与残肢相关的临床重要结局 健康和用户在生活活动中的表现。目前，尚不清楚主动释放/重新锁定的程度 有益于假肢使用者的生活质量。这里所述的努力有可能扩展到其他领域 当装置需要与人体组织牢固和紧密配合而不管软组织体积的变化时， 包括移植假肢、上肢假肢和矫形器。

Summary The long-term goal of the proposed research is a paradigm shift towards limb size management rather than socket size management in prosthesis users experiencing socket fit changes during the day. The focus of this application is to implement and optimize a novel limb-volume management strategy, and then characterize its impact on prosthesis user clinical outcomes, health, and quality-of-life. The specific aims of the proposed research are to monitor user activity and socket fit within prostheses equipped with novel socket release/relock mechanisms. Socket release is the relief of limb-socket pressures during sitting, and relock is the return to the normal socket configuration. Different release/relock operations conducted while sitting and their influence on subsequent ambulatory limb mechanics, socket fit, and functional outcomes are tested. The procedure most beneficial to patient outcomes is implemented in long-term testing. Participants wear prostheses with the socket release/relock mechanism in their free-living environments for four weeks. Outcome measures are compared with results from traditional sockets. To accomplish the aims, unobtrusive sensors that monitor prosthesis use and limb-socket distances indicative of socket fit are integrated into prostheses with motor-driven socket release/relock mechanisms. A repeated- measures study is conducted using a standardized protocol to determine if the ordering of pin relock and socket relock after socket release affects subsequent limb fluid volume retention, limb vertical and angular positions in the socket, user comfort, and functional performance. A crossover study is conducted to determine if use of release/relock sockets compared with traditional sockets for 4 weeks enhances participant activity, socket fit, self-reported outcomes, energy level, and residual limb health. The relevance of the proposed application to public health is better understanding how use of active release/relock affects users’ experience with a prosthesis, clinically-important outcomes related to residual limb health, and users’ performance in life activities. Currently, it is unknown to what degree active release/relock benefits prosthesis users’ quality of life. Potentially, the efforts described here can be extended to other areas where devices require a secure and intimate fit with human tissues despite changes in soft tissue volume, including trans-fermoral prosthetics, upper-limb prosthetics, and orthotics.