We plan to conduct a study to compare the performance of the prosthetic feet commonly used in our institute. For subjective assessments, we are going to use a “Prosthesis Functional Assessment Questionnaire” similar as the one used by [MacFarlane, et al 1991]. MacFarlane et al used questionnaire to obtain users' perception of the Flex Foot and the SACH foot. In their study, subjects reported significant reductions in exertion when using the Flex Foot at all three speeds (2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 mph) and all three grades (level, 8.5 percent grade incline and decline) tested. Underwood et al [Underwood, et al. 2004] compared the Flex Foot and the SAFE foot, using a rating scale of perceived stability and mobility. Their results showed that the Flex foot scored higher than the SAFE foot in all categories. However, there are concerns of using questionnaire to measure the performance of the prosthetic feet. Though the questionnaire are able to distinguish the difference between the tested feet in these studies, the questionnaire may not able to tell the difference among the feet used in our institute, e.g., College Park TruStep foot, Ossur Ceterus and VariFlex feet, Otto Bock Trias+ and Axtion feet, Blatchford Endolite Elite Foot, Freedom Innovation Renegade foot, since these feet may be less different than the feet compared in these studies.
My questions are: (1) Is there study show questionnaire are able (or not able) to tell the difference among the feet? (2) Is there better alternative to the questionnaire for the same purpose? Any comment or suggestion is welcome. Thank you for your time.
References:
MacFarlane PA, Nielsen DH, Shurr DG, Meier K. “Gait comparisons for below-knee amputees using a Flex-Foot versus a conventional prosthetic foot.” J Prosthet Orthot 1991a; 3:150 –161.
Underwood HA, Tokuno CD, Eng JJ. “A comparison of two prosthetic feet on the multi-joint and multi-plane kinetic gait compensations in individuals with a unilateral trans-tibial amputation.” Clin Biomech 2004;19:609–616.
My questions are: (1) Is there study show questionnaire are able (or not able) to tell the difference among the feet? (2) Is there better alternative to the questionnaire for the same purpose? Any comment or suggestion is welcome. Thank you for your time.
References:
MacFarlane PA, Nielsen DH, Shurr DG, Meier K. “Gait comparisons for below-knee amputees using a Flex-Foot versus a conventional prosthetic foot.” J Prosthet Orthot 1991a; 3:150 –161.
Underwood HA, Tokuno CD, Eng JJ. “A comparison of two prosthetic feet on the multi-joint and multi-plane kinetic gait compensations in individuals with a unilateral trans-tibial amputation.” Clin Biomech 2004;19:609–616.
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