A comparative student of conventional and energy-storing prosthetic feet in high-functioning transfemoral amputees

<p>Objective: To compare the results of gait analysis, timed walking tests, and socket comfort for transfemoral amputees wearing initially a Multiflex conventional prosthetic foot and then a Vari-Flex energy-storing prosthetic foot.</p> <p> Design: Experimental crossover trial.</p> <p> Setting: A regional prosthetic and amputee rehabilitation tertiary referral center in a teaching hospital.</p> <p> Participants: Six established unilateral transfemoral prosthetic users.</p> <p> Interventions: Not applicable.</p> <p> Main Outcome Measures: Gait analysis, a timed walking test, and a Prosthetic Socket Fit Comfort Score for each amputee wearing the Multiflex foot and then repeated wearing the Vari-Flex foot.</p> <p> Results: Wearing the Vari-Flex foot, our subjects walked faster in the gait lab (1.38±0.13m/s, P<.001) and took more equal step lengths at fast speed (1.063±0.05, P<.05). They also had greater peak ankle dorsiflexion at push-off on the prosthetic side (18.3°±4.73°, P<.001) and 3 times as much power from the prosthetic ankle at push-off (1.13±0.22W/kg, P<.001). There were no significant changes in temporal symmetry or loading of the prosthetic limb, in the timed walking test with each foot, or in the comfort score.</p> <p> Conclusions: A transfemoral amputee who wears an energystoring foot can have a more symmetric gait with regard to some measures of spatial symmetry, kinetics, and kinematics than one who wears a conventional foot. However, in this study important aspects such as more symmetric loading and comfort did not differ significantly between the 2 foot types.</p>