Two case studies of in-socket pressure characteristics for passive and active transtibial prostheses.
A B Jigida, M M Dickens, J Denune et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
Two unilateral transtibial prosthesis users completed walking trials with passive, PROPRIO, and Empower feet during level walking and ramp and stair ascent and descent. Socket pressures were measured at eight limb regions after brief acclimation and again after four weeks. Pressure patterns varied by person and activity: one user had higher pressures during ramp ascent and stair descent, while the other had the highest pressures during level walking and ramp ascent. Acclimation-related pressure decreases occurred for one user with the adaptive feet, but not for the other. Neither user had higher pressures with a powered device.
What made this case unusual
The two users showed contrasting, highly individualized pressure patterns across activities and devices; powered feet did not increase socket pressures in either case.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Socket pressure responses to prosthetic feet and acclimation may differ by user and task, so assessment across multiple activities and after adequate acclimation can reveal patterns missed by a single walking condition.
Why it matters
These exploratory cases highlight the need to interpret socket-pressure measurements in the context of individual gait mechanics rather than infer population-level effects from device type alone.