LEIPZIG — A rehabilitation specialist reported that transfemoral
amputees seem to benefit from microprocessor-controlled knee joints while
performing activities of daily living.
Patrick Theeven, MSc, of the Adelante Centre of
Expertise in Rehabilitation, presented data on the microprocessor knee joint
and community ambulators at the 13th ISPO World Congress, here.
electronic stance). Participants were
acclimated to each of the devices in the lab and permitted to wear at home for
1 week.
Theeven employed a new assessment tool called the ADAPT (Assessment of
Daily Activities Performance in Transfemoral amputees) test which uses 17
common daily activities like navigating around toys on carpeting and getting in
and out of a car. He recorded performance times with the participants wearing
each of the prostheses.
Through clinical observation, Theeven and his team concluded that
microprocessor-controlled knees can enhance performance for the majority of
limited community ambulators.
“This is a very heterogeneous group that can be divided into at
least three subclasses,” Theeven said.
Additionally, researchers found variations within this amputee
classification and suggest further research to assess the true difference in
functional performance levels.
