Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance
Existing prosthetic knees used by transfemoral amputees have function almost akin to non-friction hinge joints during the running stance phase. Therefore, transfemoral amputees who wish to run need sufficient strength in their hip extension muscles and appropriate prosthetic leg swing motion to avoi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | Prosthesis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1592/4/2/18 |
| _version_ | 1797482937925500928 |
|---|---|
| author | Mai Murabayashi Takuya Mitani Koh Inoue |
| author_facet | Mai Murabayashi Takuya Mitani Koh Inoue |
| author_sort | Mai Murabayashi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Existing prosthetic knees used by transfemoral amputees have function almost akin to non-friction hinge joints during the running stance phase. Therefore, transfemoral amputees who wish to run need sufficient strength in their hip extension muscles and appropriate prosthetic leg swing motion to avoid falling due to unintended prosthetic knee flexion. This requires much training and practice. The present study aimed to develop a passive mechanism for a transfemoral prosthetic knee to prevent unintended prosthetic knee flexion during the running stance phase. The proposed mechanism restricts only flexion during the prosthetic stance phase with a load on the prosthetic knee regardless of the joint angle of the prosthetic knee. The load on the prosthetic knee required to maintain locked flexion was analyzed. We developed a rough prototype and conducted an evaluation experiment with an intact participant attached to a simulated prosthetic limb and the prototype. The results of level walking showed that the proposed mechanism limits knee flexion, as designed. The results of the preliminary trial suggest that the proposed mechanism functions appropriately during running, where the load on the prosthetic knee is larger than that during walking. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:39:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c311b2663ad4d5ca21277dd8b80da4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-1592 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:39:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Prosthesis |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c311b2663ad4d5ca21277dd8b80da4d2023-11-23T18:42:33ZengMDPI AGProsthesis2673-15922022-04-014217218310.3390/prosthesis4020018Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running StanceMai Murabayashi0Takuya Mitani1Koh Inoue2Division of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University, Takamatsu 761-0396, JapanDivision of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University, Takamatsu 761-0396, JapanArea of Mechanical Engineering Systems, Faculty of Engineering and Designe, Hayashicho Campus, Kagawa University, Takamatsu 761-0396, JapanExisting prosthetic knees used by transfemoral amputees have function almost akin to non-friction hinge joints during the running stance phase. Therefore, transfemoral amputees who wish to run need sufficient strength in their hip extension muscles and appropriate prosthetic leg swing motion to avoid falling due to unintended prosthetic knee flexion. This requires much training and practice. The present study aimed to develop a passive mechanism for a transfemoral prosthetic knee to prevent unintended prosthetic knee flexion during the running stance phase. The proposed mechanism restricts only flexion during the prosthetic stance phase with a load on the prosthetic knee regardless of the joint angle of the prosthetic knee. The load on the prosthetic knee required to maintain locked flexion was analyzed. We developed a rough prototype and conducted an evaluation experiment with an intact participant attached to a simulated prosthetic limb and the prototype. The results of level walking showed that the proposed mechanism limits knee flexion, as designed. The results of the preliminary trial suggest that the proposed mechanism functions appropriately during running, where the load on the prosthetic knee is larger than that during walking.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1592/4/2/18transfemoral amputeerunningprosthetic kneepassive mechanism |
| spellingShingle | Mai Murabayashi Takuya Mitani Koh Inoue Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance Prosthesis transfemoral amputee running prosthetic knee passive mechanism |
| title | Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance |
| title_full | Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance |
| title_fullStr | Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance |
| title_short | Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance |
| title_sort | development and evaluation of a passive mechanism for a transfemoral prosthetic knee that prevents falls during running stance |
| topic | transfemoral amputee running prosthetic knee passive mechanism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1592/4/2/18 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maimurabayashi developmentandevaluationofapassivemechanismforatransfemoralprosthetickneethatpreventsfallsduringrunningstance AT takuyamitani developmentandevaluationofapassivemechanismforatransfemoralprosthetickneethatpreventsfallsduringrunningstance AT kohinoue developmentandevaluationofapassivemechanismforatransfemoralprosthetickneethatpreventsfallsduringrunningstance |