Gait variables differentiating fallers from nonfallers.

Purpose: This study examined the qualitative and quantitative differences between 2 groups of older adults, fallers and nonfallers. We compared walking differences during overground walking to a task of obstacle clearance.

Methods: Forty-eight community dwelling older adults (18 fallers and 30 nonfallers) participated.

Advanced trans-tibial socket fabrication using selective laser sintering.

There have been a variety of efforts demonstrating the use of solid freeform fabrication (SFF) for prosthetic socket fabrication though there has been little effort in leveraging the strengths of the technology. SFF encompasses a class of technologies that can create three dimensional objects directly from a geometric database without specific tooling or human intervention. A real strength of SFF is that cost of fabrication is related to the volume of the part, not the part's complexity.

Influence of rotators on the kinematic adaptations in stubby prosthetic gait.

We report on the results of gait analysis in a patient with bilateral knee disarticulation amputations who used short nonarticulated prosthetic limbs (stubbies) to meet his ambulation needs over an extended period. To compensate for the loss of knee and ankle articulations, exaggerated pelvic obliquity (hip hiking), transverse pelvic rotation, and hip abduction were needed to ensure limb clearance and a functional step length. The addition of rotators to the prostheses improved gait velocity and reduced the perceived exertion of walking by favorably altering center of mass energetics.