Composite blades for lower extremity amputees

Abstract

The running blades used by the amputees are an advanced type of prosthesis or prosthetic limb that are used as a replacement for a natural leg. The Principle behind the running blades is that it stores kinetic energy from the user’s footsteps as potential energy, like a spring, allowing the user to run and leap. The major prevailing deficiencies of existing prosthesis are excess weight, lack of Indian manufacturers, high cost quoted by foreign manufacturers, lack of awareness of this technology among the local population. The major purpose of the project is to design and develop an affordable composite blade with unique design, which enables normal walking and running easier for the amputees. The methodology of the project includes selection of suitable composite from glass, carbon and hybrid fibers for blade fabrication through material testing, to evaluate the design using finite element analysis (FEA), to fabricate the actual blades and to analyze the walking pattern of the user’s through gait analysis. Gait analysis results show that with blades the participant is able to follow normal gait pattern of initial contact, mid-stance and toe-off as the blade supports normal knee and ankle biomechanics.

Athletic Disciplines Of Sprinting After Lower Extremity Amputation

“…Načelo je trčanja s ovom vrstom proteza pohranjivanje kinetičke energije iz korisnikovih koraka u oblik potencijalne energije, s pomoću opruge, dopuštajući korisniku da trči i skače. 6 Prvi opisan protetski nadomjestak nazvan Flex-Foot Cheetah, istražujući kretnje geparda, 70-ih godina 20. stoljeća razvio je biomedicinski inženjer Van Phillips, koji je i sam izgubio nogu ispod koljena u dobi od 21 godine. 7 Cheetah oštrica današnjice prvi je put lansirana 1996., po uzoru na Van Phillipsovu protezu iz 70-ih godina.…”

Dynamic Analysis of a High-Performance Prosthetic Leg: Experimental Characterisation and Numerical Modelling

“…The ESAR feet are typically made of carbon fibre composites due to their light weight, exceptional strength, and good chemical properties, which contribute to the component's durability. Additionally, they exhibit minimal deformation under varying loads compared to materials like aluminium and titanium alloys [2], and they provide a good spring-like [3,4] effect. Such prosthetics also confer better symmetry to the gait and they improve the subject's comfort and reactivity [5].…”