Details:

Alternative Title:
Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon)
Personal Author:
Xu, Hang ; Greenland, Kasey ; Bloswick, Donald ; Zhao, Jie ; Merryweather, Andrew
Xu, Hang ; Greenland, Kasey ; Bloswick, Donald ; Zhao, Jie ; Merryweather, Andrew Less -
Description:
Background

The elevated vacuum suspension system has demonstrated unique health benefits for amputees, but the effect of vacuum pressure values on gait characteristics is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elevated vacuum levels on temporal parameters, kinematics and kinetics for unilateral transtibial amputees.

Methods

Three-dimensional gait analysis was conducted in 9 unilateral transtibial amputees walking at a controlled speed with five vacuum levels ranging from 0–20 inHg, and also in 9 able-bodied subjects walking at self-preferred speed. Repeated ANOVA and Dunnett’s t-test were performed to determine the effect of vacuum level and limb for within subject and between groups.

Findings

The effect of vacuum level significantly affected peak hip external rotation and external knee adduction moment. Maximum braking and propulsive ground reaction forces generally increased for the residual limb and decreased for the intact limb with increasing vacuum. Additionally, the intact limb experienced an increased loading due to gait asymmetry for several variables.

Interpretation

There was no systematic vacuum level effect on gait. Higher vacuum levels, such as 15 and 20 inHg, were more comfortable and provided some relief to the intact limb, but may also increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the residual limb due to the increased peak external hip and knee adduction moments. Very low vacuum should be avoided because of the negative effects on gait symmetry. A moderate vacuum level at 15 inHg is suggested for unilateral transtibial amputees with elevated vacuum suspension.


Subject:
[+]
Amputation Stumps
Amputees
Article
Artificial Limbs
Biomechanical Phenomena
Biomechanics
Comfort
Gait
Hip
Humans
Kinetics
Knee
Lower Extremity
Male
Middle Aged
Prosthesis
Prosthesis Design
Rotation
Vacuum
Vacuum Level
Amputees

Source:
Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 43:95-101.
Pubmed ID:
28232236
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC5404825
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
T42 OH008414/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:0db92054edf6aa61fefdadc16ee6435b452e5b054edaa98e2dd7f236e3498c2d
File Type:

Supporting Files

• 	nihms854680.nxml	xml
  	nihms854680f1.gif	gif
  	nihms854680f1.jpg	jpeg
  	nihms854680f2.gif	gif
  	nihms854680f2.jpg	jpeg
  	nihms854680f3.gif	gif
  	nihms854680f3.jpg	jpeg

More +