Current treatment options in children with partial foot amputations tend to mirror adult options, and documentation of pediatric partial foot amputation, prosthetic intervention and treatment effectiveness is limited.
Pamela K. Hale, CPO, Allard USA Rockaway, NJ and Active Life Inc., Glendale, Calif. presented data from a case study in which a patient with a partial foot amputation wore a toe filler prosthesis utilizing a custom fit rigid dynamic carbon composite (DCC) ankle foot orthosis (AFO).
The custom fit device was designed for improved gait and featured a semi-rigid carbon footplate, tapered rocker sole, flexible heel and rigid mid-foot, Hale said. The patient, with bilateral congenital longitudinal amputations, was fit with the prosthesis, and temporal-spatial and pelvic kinematic data was collected using the BTS Engineering G-Walk System.
Pamela K. Hale
Researchers compared barefoot to three treatment conditions: high-top shoe, toe filler prosthesis, and a new shoe with the DCC prosthesis. They found stance duration increased with intervention, while speed and cadence decreased. Coronal and transverse pelvic motion was found to be symmetrical, but sagittal plane motion was asymmetrical in all conditions.
The use of the toe filler prosthesis and DCC AFO was shown to improve stance stability, according to study results. The researchers plan to further study gait parameters in this patient to determine if longer use will enhance function. They noted that use of a DCC AFO in the normal pediatric population improves running, jumping and walking function, and they expect similar outcomes in pediatric patients with partial foot amputation who wear the DCC prosthesis.
For more information, visit the Association for Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics website at www.acpoc.org, call (847) 698-1637 or email acpoc@aaos.org.
Disclosure: Hale is employed by Allard USA.
