Finite element modelling of an energy–storing prosthetic foot during the stance phase of transtibial amputee gait

Energy-storing prosthetic feet are designed to store energy during mid-stance motion and to recover it during late-stance motion. Gait analysis is the most commonly used method to characterize prosthetic foot behaviour during walking. In using this method, however, the foot is generally modelled as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part H, Journal of engineering in medicine Journal of engineering in medicine, 2012-01, Vol.226 (1), p.70-75
Main Authors: Bonnet, Xavier, Pillet, Hélenè, Fodé, Pascale, Lavaste, Francois, Skalli, Wafa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Amputation Stumps - physiopathology
Amputees - rehabilitation
Artificial Limbs
Computer Simulation
Computer-Aided Design
Deformation
Energy Transfer
Equipment Failure Analysis - methods
Feet
Finite Element Analysis
Finite element method
Foot - physiopathology
Gait
Humans
Mathematical analysis
Mathematical models
Modelling
Models, Biological
Prostheses
Prosthesis Design
Prosthetics
Stress-strain curves
Tibia - physiopathology
Walking
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Summary:Energy-storing prosthetic feet are designed to store energy during mid-stance motion and to recover it during late-stance motion. Gait analysis is the most commonly used method to characterize prosthetic foot behaviour during walking. In using this method, however, the foot is generally modelled as a rigid body. Therefore, it does not take into account the ability of the foot to deform. However, the way this deformation occurs is a key parameter of various foot properties under gait conditions. The purpose of this study is to combine finite element modelling and gait analysis in order to calculate the strain, stress and energy stored in the foot along the stance phase for self-selected and fast walking speeds. A finite element model, validated using mechanical testing, is used with boundary conditions collected experimentally from the gait analysis of a single transtibial amputee. The stress, strain and energy stored in the foot are assessed throughout the stance phase for two walking speed conditions: a self-selected walking speed (SSWS), and a fast walking speed (FWS). The first maximum in the strain energy occurs during heel loading and reaches 3 J for SSWS and 7 J for FWS at the end of the first double support phase. The second maximum appears at the end of the single support phase, reaching 15 J for SSWS and 18 J for FWS. Finite element modelling combined with gait analysis allows the calculation of parameters that are not obtainable using gait analysis alone. This modelling can be used in the process of prosthetic feet design to assess the behaviour of a prosthetic foot under specific gait conditions.
ISSN:0954-4119
2041-3033
DOI:10.1177/0954411911429534