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Research ArticleOpen Access

Effect of Biomaterial Prosthetics on the Rehabilitation of Lower Limb Amputees

Volume 1 - Issue 4

Qaysar Mohi Ud Din*

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    • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Bharath University, India

    *Corresponding author: Qaysar Mohi Ud Din, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Bharath University, Chennai-500073, Tamil Nadu, India

Received: September 08, 2017;   Published: September 18, 2017

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000362

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Abstract

The prosthetics is done in order to help the persons with various degrees of amputation to regain their normal functioning. The prosthetics used for rehabilitation (regaining of body functionality) should be comfortable for the patient and should be durable. After lower limb prosthesis, the most important goal in the rehabilitation process of the amputee is the regaining of walking. The walking ability is very essential for proper functioning. There are two different types of foot available that are used based on function. These are the dynamic and non dynamic response foot (e.g. solid ankle cushion heel). The non dynamic foot is basic for appearance and the functions such as standing and walking, while the dynamic can be used for more intense activities like running. Current prosthetic foot designs do not exactly match the characteristics of normal human foot. Human foot is a multi-functional device that performs various activities, but the functions of prosthetic feet are limited to only few. A person’s prosthesis should be designed and assembled according to the patient’s appearance and functional needs. Over the years there have been significant advancements in prosthetics. New plastics and other materials, such as carbon fiber, have made artificial limbs stronger and lighter, reducing the amount of extra energy necessary to operate the limb. This is very important for trans-femoral amputees. Additional materials have made artificial limbs to look much like real limbs, which is important to trans-radial and trans-humeral amputees because they are more likely to have the artificial limb exposed. The foot provides shock absorption and stability during stance by providing contact to the ground. Additionally it influences the gait biomechanics by its shape and stiffness. The basis of this project is to provide standing and walking functions as well as to make the appearance attractive. The available below knee prosthesis device employs silicon material for the foot which is imported and expensive; hence there is a need to use a cost effective and easily available material (wood). The main problem associated with current feet is durability and endurance. The different characteristics on the basis of which the prosthetics are used include: cosmetics, cost, and ease of use, size availability, weight, rotation, and energy absorption and ground compliance. The objective of this project is to design a prosthetic feet model that can function as a normal human foot, whose characteristics match the most with the normal human foot and to evaluate the functioning of prosthetics in rehabilitation. The designed prosthetic feet model can then be used to evaluate the durability, endurance and comfort level provided by the designed SACH prosthetic foot. On the basis of this model further studies can be conducted to evaluate the effect of prosthetic feet in the rehabilitation of patients with lower limb prosthesis.

Keywords: Prosthetics; Amputee; Gait; Trans-Humeral; Rehabilitation

Abbreviations: FEA: Finite Element Analysis; PVA: Polyvinyl Acetate Rubber

Abstract| Introduction| Experimental Methods| Results | Discussion| Conclusion| Future Scope| References|