Abstract
In research on lower limb prostheses, safety during testing and training is paramount. Lower limb prosthesis users risk unintentional loss of balance that can result in injury, fear of falling, and overall decreased confidence in their prosthetic leg. Here, we present a protocol for managing the risks during evaluation of active prosthetic legs with modifiable control systems. We propose graded safety levels, each of which must be achieved before advancing to the next one, from laboratory bench testing to independent ambulation in real-world environments.
Highlights
Most lower limb prostheses are either entirely passive mechanical devices or microprocessor-controlled devices which are energetically passive, meaning that they do not provide net positive power to the user
Extensive research efforts are directed to this field and a range of active devices have previously been, or currently are, being developed and tested in research settings [4]–[10]
Adding active joints to the prosthesis increases the number of achievable ambulatory modes and the complexity of the prosthesis control scheme
Summary
Most lower limb prostheses are either entirely passive mechanical devices or microprocessor-controlled devices which are energetically passive, meaning that they do not provide net positive power to the user. Embedded or added sensors on the prosthesis, the contralateral limb, or electromyography (EMG) sensors placed on/in the residual limb may be used to infer ambulation mode, gait phase, and ambulation mode transitions to allow smooth locomotion for the user [11]–[17]. Safety precautions should rely on well-designed rehabilitation and evaluation protocols in combination with the combined experience of healthcare and research professionals To this end we are proposing a stepwise safety protocol for managing the risk when active prosthetic legs, with modifiable control systems, are used by individuals with a lower limb amputation. The protocol is developed with focus on individuals with transfemoral amputation due to their increased risk of falling, but it is applicable for the transtibial amputation level [19]
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