Quantifying Energetic Adaptation to Prosthetic Devices

Advisor Information

Kota Takahashi

Location

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library

Presentation Type

Poster

Start Date

4-3-2016 10:45 AM

End Date

4-3-2016 12:15 PM

Abstract

Approximately 3.6 million Americans are projected to be living with limb loss by the year 2050. The majority of these amputations are of lower limbs, and effective prosthetic prescription and rehabilitation is essential for returning individuals to a normal quality of life. Learning to properly utilize a prosthesis is a significant challenge for some users. There is currently a lack of knowledge on how individuals with amputations adapt to a prosthesis. Therefore, this study analyzed the energetic profiles of subjects to quantify the process of prosthetic adaptation. Twenty-two participants with unilateral, transtibial amputation were recruited for a three week study in which individuals were asked to wear a prosthetic foot consistent with their high activity level, but of a different model than what they had previously been wearing. At the beginning, middle, and end of the 3 week period, detailed gait analyses were performed. Energy-storage-and-return was quantified within prostheses using a unified deformable segment model. After three weeks, the normalized average pushoff work of the high activity prosthesis increased by 3.85%, from 0.1052 J/Kg to 0.1092 J/Kg (p = 0.028). This suggests that pushoff work could be a significant factor in prosthesis adaptation, and could be an important metric to consider in future rehabilitation programs. Further analysis is being performed on changes in other joints and sound limbs over the course of adaptation.

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Mar 4th, 10:45 AM Mar 4th, 12:15 PM

Quantifying Energetic Adaptation to Prosthetic Devices

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library

Approximately 3.6 million Americans are projected to be living with limb loss by the year 2050. The majority of these amputations are of lower limbs, and effective prosthetic prescription and rehabilitation is essential for returning individuals to a normal quality of life. Learning to properly utilize a prosthesis is a significant challenge for some users. There is currently a lack of knowledge on how individuals with amputations adapt to a prosthesis. Therefore, this study analyzed the energetic profiles of subjects to quantify the process of prosthetic adaptation. Twenty-two participants with unilateral, transtibial amputation were recruited for a three week study in which individuals were asked to wear a prosthetic foot consistent with their high activity level, but of a different model than what they had previously been wearing. At the beginning, middle, and end of the 3 week period, detailed gait analyses were performed. Energy-storage-and-return was quantified within prostheses using a unified deformable segment model. After three weeks, the normalized average pushoff work of the high activity prosthesis increased by 3.85%, from 0.1052 J/Kg to 0.1092 J/Kg (p = 0.028). This suggests that pushoff work could be a significant factor in prosthesis adaptation, and could be an important metric to consider in future rehabilitation programs. Further analysis is being performed on changes in other joints and sound limbs over the course of adaptation.