TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of a stance phase microprocessorcontrolled knee prosthesis on level walking in lower functioning individuals with a transfemoral amputation
AU - Eberly, Valerie J.
AU - Mulroy, Sara J.
AU - Gronley, Joanne K.
AU - Perry, Jacquelin
AU - Yule, William J.
AU - Burnfield, Judith M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research is funded in part by a grant from Otto Bock HealthCare LP.
Publisher Copyright:
© The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2013.
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - Background: For individuals with transfemoral amputation, walking with a prosthesis presents challenges to stability and increases the demand on the hip of the prosthetic limb. Increasing age or comorbidities magnify these challenges. Computerized prosthetic knee joints improve stability and efficiency of gait, but are seldom prescribed for less physically capable walkers who may benefit from them. Objective: To compare level walking function while wearing a microprocessor-controlled knee (C-Leg Compact) prosthesis to a traditionally prescribed non-microprocessor-controlled knee prosthesis for Medicare Functional Classification Level K-2 walkers. Study design: Crossover. Methods: Stride characteristics, kinematics, kinetics, and electromyographic activity were recorded in 10 participants while walking with non-microprocessor-controlled knee and Compact prostheses. Results: Walking with the Compact produced significant increase in velocity, cadence, stride length, single-limb support, and heel-rise timing compared to walking with the non-microprocessor-controlled knee prosthesis. Hip and thigh extension during late stance improved bilaterally. Ankle dorsiflexion, knee extension, and hip flexion moments of the prosthetic limb were significantly improved. Conclusions: Improvements in walking function and stability on the prosthetic limb were demonstrated by the K-2 level walkers when using the C-Leg Compact prosthesis.
AB - Background: For individuals with transfemoral amputation, walking with a prosthesis presents challenges to stability and increases the demand on the hip of the prosthetic limb. Increasing age or comorbidities magnify these challenges. Computerized prosthetic knee joints improve stability and efficiency of gait, but are seldom prescribed for less physically capable walkers who may benefit from them. Objective: To compare level walking function while wearing a microprocessor-controlled knee (C-Leg Compact) prosthesis to a traditionally prescribed non-microprocessor-controlled knee prosthesis for Medicare Functional Classification Level K-2 walkers. Study design: Crossover. Methods: Stride characteristics, kinematics, kinetics, and electromyographic activity were recorded in 10 participants while walking with non-microprocessor-controlled knee and Compact prostheses. Results: Walking with the Compact produced significant increase in velocity, cadence, stride length, single-limb support, and heel-rise timing compared to walking with the non-microprocessor-controlled knee prosthesis. Hip and thigh extension during late stance improved bilaterally. Ankle dorsiflexion, knee extension, and hip flexion moments of the prosthetic limb were significantly improved. Conclusions: Improvements in walking function and stability on the prosthetic limb were demonstrated by the K-2 level walkers when using the C-Leg Compact prosthesis.
KW - Electromyography
KW - Kinematics
KW - Kinetics
KW - Microprocessor-controlled knee
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U2 - 10.1177/0309364613506912
DO - 10.1177/0309364613506912
M3 - Article
C2 - 24135259
AN - SCOPUS:84925767310
SN - 0309-3646
VL - 38
SP - 447
EP - 455
JO - Prosthetics and Orthotics International
JF - Prosthetics and Orthotics International
IS - 6
ER -