Variation of mechanical energy levels for normal and prosthetic gait

Mechanical energy levels were investigated for normals and for below-knee amputees during level walking. The weight of the prostheses was varied by attaching 0.5 kg extra weight to the prostheses. The measurements and analyses were made with the ENOCH system consisting of a minicomputer (HP 21 MX), an optoelectronic device for displacement data measurement (Selspot) and a force plate (Kistler) for measurement of ground reaction forces. Results by Winter et al (1976) on the energy changes during normal walking obtained from displacement data on one leg only were verified using data from both legs and the trunk. For the amputees it was concluded that the energy changes increased for the prosthetic shank when the weight increased. For the other body segments and for the body total no significant differences were found.