A new method to quantify liner deformation within a prosthetic socket for below knee amputees.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics

Background:

• Prosthetic leg users often experience residual limb skin wounds.
• The interface between prosthetic devices and the user's limb is not well understood.
• Understanding liner displacement is key to preventing skin breakdown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a quantitative method for assessing gel liner displacement during walking in transtibial amputees.
• To establish a reliable technique for measuring liner deformation within prosthetic sockets.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a reflective marker system and a custom clear socket for evaluations.
• Employed both plaster and deformable limb models to simulate prosthetic use.
• Validated the method using digital calipers and motion capture systems.
• Conducted static and dynamic displacement trials to capture liner elongation.

Main Results:

• The novel approach accurately captured static and dynamic inter-marker distances.
• Measurements confirmed the reliability of the method across different days.
• The system demonstrated the ability to quantify gel liner displacements.

Conclusions:

• This novel method provides accurate measurements of gel liner deformation.
• It offers valuable data for improving prosthetic socket design and fit.
• The findings can help reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers in amputees.