Interface mechanics in external prosthetics: review of interface stress measurement techniques |
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Authors: | J E Sanders |
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Institution: | (1) Center for Bioengineering, WD-12, University of Washington, 98195 Seattie, WA, USA |
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Abstract: | Instrumentation to measure accurately the stresses at the interface of a residual limb and prosthetic socket has a strong
potential for use in prosthetic treatment. As a tool in the clinical setting, the device would allow a clinician to identify
sites of excessive loading, information which could then be combined with clinical assessment of skin quality to determine
regions of potential skin breakdown. Stress distributions for different prosthetic designs could be compared, facilitating
a clinician’s judgement to determine the optimal design for a patient. The instrumentation would have additional use in research
as an evaluation tool for computer-based finite-element (FE) models. Stump-socket FE models predict stress distributions for
proposed socket designs, thus offering advantages over interface stress measurement because evaluation can be conducted before
a prosthesis is fabricated or put on an amputee patient. However, FE models must first be proven valid against experimental
measurements before they can be considered accurate predictors of interface stresses. Current interface stress measurement
techniques are described, with a concentration on a physical explanation of the advantages and limitations with each technique.
New emerging technologies are discussed which are instruments that have been described but for which no data collected on
amputees have been reported in the literature. The important new features of those technologies are also discussed. |
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Keywords: | Amputees Interface stress Prosthetics Tissue mechanics |
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