Analysis of below-knee suspension systems: effect on gait.

Seven different suspension systems for below-knee prostheses were tested on 20 adult, unilateral amputees. All subjects walked with a prosthesis. Gait was evaluated with regard to longitudinal and vertical accelerations of the body, forward velocity, axial (piston) movement of amputated limb in the socket, and knee movement. Harmonic analyses of variable waveforms provided the primary method to discriminate performances among the suspensions. The appropriateness of a given suspension system depended on both the length and the shape of the residual limb.