A Pneumatically Controlled Prosthetic Socket for Transfemoral Amputees.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics

Background:

• Residual limb volume fluctuations commonly cause prosthetic socket discomfort and instability in amputees.
• Existing prosthetic sockets struggle to maintain a consistent fit due to daily volume changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a transfemoral prosthetic socket that maintains uniform contact pressure despite residual limb volume variations.
• To enhance socket stability, comfort, and walking performance for above-knee amputees.

Main Methods:

• Development of a transfemoral prosthetic socket with two posterior air bladders and an integrated pneumatic controller.
• Implementation of a closed-loop control system to autonomously adjust air pressure within the bladders, maintaining a steady-state error of ≤3 mmHg.
• Clinical trials involving amputee participants walking on flat and inclined surfaces.

Main Results:

• The developed pneumatic socket significantly reduced residual limb-socket displacement by up to 33.4% after air injection.
• Increased knee flexion angle on the affected side, leading to enhanced stride length and gait velocity.
• Demonstrated stable and comfortable walking performance on both flat and inclined surfaces.

Conclusions:

• The novel pneumatic prosthetic socket effectively compensates for residual limb volume changes, providing a consistently stable and comfortable fit.
• The technology improves gait parameters, including stride length and velocity, offering enhanced mobility for above-knee amputees.
• This innovation has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life and functional independence for individuals with transfemoral amputations.