Enhancement of a prosthetic knee with a microprocessor-controlled gait phase switch reduces falls and improves balance confidence and gait speed in community ambulators with unilateral transfemoral amputation.

Background: Despite the evidence for improved safety and function of microprocessor stance and swing-controlled prosthetic knees, non-microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees are still standard of care for persons with transfemoral amputations in most countries. Limited feature microprocessor-control enhancement of such knees could stand to significantly improve patient outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate gait speed, balance, and fall reduction benefits of the new 3E80 default stance hydraulic knee compared to standard non-microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees.

Objective computerized evaluation of normal patterns of facial muscles contraction.

Unlabelled: Different methods used to evaluate the movements of the face have many degrees of subjectivity and reliability. The authors discuss the ease of using these methods in clinical practice or their accuracy in scientific research.

Aim: To obtain the standard for normal facial muscles movements using an objective method - the Vicon system.