• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate characteristics of foot pressure distribution with or without partial prosthetic foot in transmetatarsal amputee. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 9 transmetatarsal amputees. Foot pressures were measured at hallux, the $1^{st}-5^{th}$ metatarsal head (MTH), mid-foot, condyle area by F-scan system in amputated or contralateral foot during active walking. Results: In amputated foot, mean peak pressure was greatest in midfoot without prosthetic foot but it was greatest in hindfoot with prosthetic foot. In unaffected foot, although mean peak pressure was higher in hallux, and $1-5^{th}$ MTH compared to amputated foot, it was greatest in hind foot both with and without prosthetic foot. However, in unaffected foot, mean peak pressure significantly decreased in hallux and $5^{th}$ MTH after wearing the prosthetic foot. There was a significant difference in mean peak pressure in hallux and $5^{th}$ MTH between amputated and unaffected foot after wearing prosthetic foot. However, other region had no significant difference with or without prosthetic foot between feet. Conclusions: The use of partial prosthetic foot tends to shift weight bearing from the heel area to forefoot and could significantly reduce hind foot peak pressure and redistributed to peak pressure. The partial prosthetic foot can also offer the peak pressure to reduction both amputated foot and unaffected foot and help to toe off during walking.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1505-1508
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• 2008

One of the important functions of prosthetic foot is the foot inversion-eversion which is so important when walking on uneven surfaces. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of foot eversion angle especially on knee and ankle joint for transtibial amputees by motion analysis. The experimental data were collected from three transtibial amputees and then ten healthy individuals. To simulate walking on side sloping ground, we used custom-made slope (5, 10, 15 degrees). Motion analysis was performed by 3-dimensional motion analyzer for 6 dynamic prosthetic feet. The results showed that knee abduction moments of amputated leg were decreased but those of sound leg were mainly increased as foot eversion angle increased. And ankle abduction moments of sound leg were inconsistent in magnitude and tendency between control and experimental group. Therefore foot eversioncharacteristics should be considered to develop advanced prosthetic foot.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.623-631
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• 2003

It is considered that the application of advanced composite materials to the prostheses for the disables is important to improve their bio-mechanical performance. Particularly, energy storing foot prosthesis is mostly important to restore gait ability of the disables with low-extremity amputation since it could provide propulsion at terminal stance enhancing the disables ability to walk long distance even run and jump. Therefore, the energy storing spring of Prosthetic foot keel under cyclic bending moment use mainly of high strength glass fiber reinforced plastic. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the stacking sequence effect using the delamination growth rate(dA$_{D}$/dN) of energy storing spring in glass fiber reinforced plastic under cyclic bending moment. The test results indicated that the shape of delamination zone depends on stacking sequence in GFRP laminates. Delamination area(A$_{D}$) turns out that variable types with the contour increased non-linearly toward the damage zones.nes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.886-891
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• 2009

One of the important functions of prosthetic foot is the foot inversion-eversion which is so important when walking on uneven surfaces. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of foot eversion angle especially on knee and ankle joint for transtibial amputees by motion analysis. The experimental data were collected from three transtibial amputees and then ten healthy individuals. To simulate walking on side sloping ground, we used custom-made slope (5, 10, 15 degrees). Motion analysis was performed by 3-dimensional motion analyzer for 6 dynamic prosthetic feet. The results showed that knee abduction moments of amputated leg were decreased but those of sound leg were mainly increased as foot eversion angle increased. And ankle abduction moments of sound leg were inconsistent in magnitude and tendency between control and experimental group. Therefore foot eversioncharacteristics should be considered to develop advanced prosthetic foot.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.8 s.197
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• pp.130-137
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• 2007

The optimized prosthetic mass distribution was a controversial problem in the previous studies because they are not supported by empirical evidence. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of prosthetic mass properties by modeling musculoskeletal system, based on the gait analysis data from two above-knee amputees. The joint torque at hip joint was calculated using inverse dynamic analysis as the mass was changed in knee and foot prosthetic components with the same joint kinematics. The results showed that the peak flexion and abduction torque at the hip joint were 5 Nm and 15 Nm when the mass of the knee component was increased, greater than the peak flexion and abduction torque of the control group at the hip joint, respectively. On the other hand, when the mass of the foot component was increased, the peak flexion and abduction torque at the hip joint were 20 Nm and 15 Nm, greater than the peak flexion and abduction torque of the control, respectively. The hip flexion torque was 4.71-fold greater and 7.92-fold greater than the hip abduction torque for the knee mass increase and the foot mass increase on the average, respectively. Therefore, we could conclude that the effect of foot mass increase was more sensitive than that of knee mass increase for the hip flexion torque. On the contrary, the mass properties of the knee and foot components were not sensitive for the hip abduction torque. In addition, optimized prosthetic mass and appropriate mass distributions were needed to promote efficiency of rehabilitation therapy with consideration of musculoskeletal systems of amputees.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.1005-1006
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• 2010

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.519-530
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• 1998

In this paper, the basic study on the design of the flexible keel of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was performed in order to Improve the walking performance and Increase the activities of the below knee amputees. Based on the analysis of the anthropometric data and the normal gait on two dimensional sagittal plane available In the literature, we presented a model of the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The model of the basic structure was composed of the simple beams, and linear rotational spring and damper. Laminated carbon fiber-reinforced composites were selected as the material of the basic structure model of the flexible keel In order to apply the high strength and light weight materials to the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The recoverable strain energy In response to the change of beam shape was calculated bur the finite element analysis and it was suggested that the change of beam shape could be the design variable in flexible keel design. The simulation process was systematically designed by using orthogonal array table in order to design the flexible keel structure which could store the more recoverable strain energy. finite element analysis was carried but according to the design of simulations by using the finite element program ABAQUS and the flexible keel structure of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was obtained from the analysis of variance(ANOVA). The dynamic simulation model of the prosthetic walking using the flexible keel structure was made and the dynamic analysis was carried but during one walk cycle. Based on the above results, an effective design process was presented for the development of the prosthetic fool system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.3 s.174
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• pp.613-624
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• 2000

In this study, new design method of prosthetic foot was suggested which can evaluate the performance of prosthetic foot by implementing amputee's gait simulation using the finite element analysis. The basic shape of ESPF(Energy Storing Prosthetic Foot) was designed which is suitable for the below-knee amputee considering mechanical properties and kinematic properties. And, the performance evaluations were performed using the Taguchi method with orthogonal array L25. As a result, average main effect of factors for the ESPF's performance were calculated and then optimum condition of given shape was selected. Essential particulars for the performance evaluation from the simulation result were the quantity of external work needed in stance phase, the quantity of transferred energy from the ESPF through the knee, and the vertical displacement of knee at toe-off. Reasonable optimum condition was obtained from the using performance index. From this study, it was found that it is necessary for the design of ESPF to consider the geometrical data related to the magnitude of load on elastic material.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.769-776
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• 2013

The dynamic compliance characteristics of a prosthetic foot midgait are very important for natural performance in an amputee's gait and should be in a range that provides natural, stable walking. In this study, finite element analysis (FEA) and classical laminate theory were used to examine the mechanical characteristics of a carbon-epoxy composite laminate prosthetic foot as a function of variation in the lamination composition. From this analysis, an FEM model of a prosthetic keel, made from the composite material, was developed. The lamination composition of the keel was designed for improved stiffness. The prototype product was fabricated using an autoclave. Vertical loading response tests were performed to verify the simulation model. The results of the experiments were similar to those from simulations below the loading level of the gait, suggesting use of the proposed simulation model for prosthetic keel design.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.1391-1392
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• 2010