Current ankle prostheses for people with a unilateral transtibial amputation or transfemoral amputation are unable to mimic able-bodied performance during daily activities. A new mechanical ankle–foot prosthesis with an articulated ankle joint was developed to further optimise the gait of people with a lower-limb amputation. This study evaluated the new mechanical ankle-foot prosthesis (Talaris Demonstrator) during daily activities by means of performance-related, physiological and subjective outcome measures. Subjective measures such as the level of comfort indicate the added value of this device, while overall task performance and intensity of effort did not differ between the Talaris Demonstrator and the individuals’ current prosthesis. Further investigations unravelling both acute and more prolonged adaptations will be conducted to evaluate the Talaris Demonstrator more thoroughly.
Link to the paper: https://rdcu.be/cMZhG