Article
Robotics
Sarah Hood, Lukas Gabert, Tommaso Lenzi
Summary: This study presents an adaptive stair ascent controller for individuals with above-knee amputations, allowing them to climb stairs of varying heights with their preferred gait patterns and cadence. By modulating the prosthesis position and torque-angle relationship, the controller provides toe clearance and torque assistance for different stair heights.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jenny A. Kent, V. N. Murthy Arelekatti, Nina T. Petelina, W. Brett Johnson, John T. Brinkmann, Amos G. Winter, Matthew J. Major
Summary: Increasing prosthetic knee flexion damping can improve gait symmetry but may also increase the risk of toe catch. When selecting appropriate resistance for a mechanical prosthetic knee, there is a trade-off between gait safety and other key features.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hristo Dimitrov, Anthony M. J. Bull, Dario Farina
Summary: This study provides a dataset of novel sensor technology for the neuromechanics of human locomotion, which can be used for the development and validation of locomotion mode recognition and control algorithms in various fields.
Article
Surgery
William Shutze, Dennis Gable, Gerald Ogola, Tasnim Yasin, Niyata Madhukar, Bhuvanna Kamma, Yousif Alniemi, John Eidt
Summary: The study retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing lower extremity amputation, finding that factors such as age, sex, diabetes, ASA score, and smoking history were associated with prosthetic referral, while BMI, previous arterial procedure, level of amputation, and stump revision were positively correlated with referral. Increasing age, higher ASA class, black race, and BMI were associated with reduced survival, while prosthetic referral was found to be protective for survival.
JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shriya S. Srinivasan, Samantha Gutierrez-Arango, Ashley Chia-En Teng, Erica Israel, Hyungeun Song, Zachary Keith Bailey, Matthew J. Carty, Lisa E. Freed, Hugh M. Herr
Summary: The study discusses a modified below-knee amputation procedure that incorporates agonist-antagonist myoneural interfaces (AMIs) to improve neuromuscular control and precision for amputees. Subjects who underwent this modified procedure showed better muscle control, production of distinct control signals, increased proprioceptive inputs, greater phantom limb range of motion, and reduced pain compared to those who had traditional amputations. The use of AMIs during amputation provides enhanced physiological neuromuscular dynamics, proprioception, and phantom limb perception, resulting in more differentiated electromyography for myoelectric prosthesis control and improved clinical outcomes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shriya S. Srinivasan, Samantha Gutierrez-Arango, Ashley Chia-En Teng, Erica Israel, Hyungeun Song, Zachary Keith Bailey, Matthew J. Carty, Lisa E. Freed, Hugh M. Herr
Summary: The study shows that the modified below-knee amputation procedure with agonist-antagonist myoneural interfaces (AMIs) offers better muscle control, proprioception, and phantom limb perception compared to traditional amputation techniques. Subjects with AMI amputations demonstrated more differentiated electromyography signals for myoelectric prosthesis control and reported less pain postamputation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Dwiesha L. England, Taavy A. Miller, Phillip M. Stevens, James H. Campbell, Shane R. Wurdeman
Summary: The study aimed to assess the validity of a customized nine-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity instrument in individuals with upper extremity amputation. Results showed satisfactory psychometric properties, supporting its use within this population. Structual validity, known-groups analysis, and reliability tests all indicated high validity and reliability of the instrument.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michal Murawa, Jakub Otworowski, Sebastian But, Jaroslaw Kabacinski, Lukasz Kubaszewski, Adam Gramala
Summary: The development of modern technologies has made it easier to regain the ability to walk after losing a lower limb. However, the affordability of prosthetic feet remains a challenge.
Article
Orthopedics
Gherardo Pagliazzi, Enrico De Pieri, Michele Klaeusler, Morgan Sangeux, Elke Viehweger
Summary: Overuse injuries occur when there is repetitive or increased load on a specific anatomical segment that cannot recover from the microtrauma, leading to inflammation. Limb malalignment is considered as one of the major risk factors for overuse injuries.
EFORT OPEN REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Ermanno Donato Papaleo, Marco D'Alonzo, Francesca Fiori, Valeria Piombino, Emma Falato, Fabio Pilato, Alfredo De Liso, Vincenzo Di Lazzaro, Giovanni Di Pino
Summary: This article reviews non-invasive strategies for restitution of proprioception and discusses their strengths and limitations. Approaches using vibrotactile, electrotactile, and skin-stretch stimulation achieved better and more consistent results in restoring kinesthetic and grip force information. Future research could integrate objective measures such as neurophysiological parameters, prosthesis embodiment, and cognitive load, along with behavioral measures, to gain a more detailed understanding and support one proprioceptive restitution strategy over another.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
K. Soehnel, M. S. Fischer, K. Haeusler
Summary: This study compares overground and treadmill locomotion as well as the instrumented treadmill with force plates for dog kinetics measurements. The results show excellent agreement in peak vertical forces and impulses between overground and treadmill trotting. The instrumented treadmill exhibits similar force-time curves and provides excellent congruity for all parameters compared to force plates.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Toshiki Kobayashi, Mingyu Hu, Ryo Amma, Genki Hisano, Hiroto Murata, Daisuke Ichimura, Hiroaki Hobara
Summary: This study investigated the gait symmetry in ground reaction force (GRF) of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation (uTFA). The findings showed that individuals with uTFA exhibited increased asymmetry in the vertical and mediolateral components of GRF with increasing walking speeds, while the asymmetry in the anteroposterior component remained constant. uTFA individuals typically maintained symmetric mediolateral and anteroposterior impulses across a wide range of walking speeds.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
B. A. Petersen, P. J. Sparto, L. E. Fisher
Summary: The study aims to determine the relationship between sensory impairments and clinical functional measures of balance and gait in individuals with a lower-limb amputation. The findings suggest that sensory impairments do not significantly affect functional measures in this population.
Article
Rehabilitation
Syena Moltaji, Stephanie Posa, Amanda L. Mayo, Sander L. Hitzig, Heather Baltzer
Summary: The purpose of this study is to critically explore the experiences of thumb amputees and define the elements of an ideal thumb prosthesis from their perspective. A qualitative study was conducted with end user stakeholder groups, including patients with thumb amputation, rehabilitation professionals, and prosthetists. The analysis identified six themes, including the impact of thumb loss on function and mental wellbeing, the idiosyncratic nature of thumb amputees, the costs of obtaining a thumb prosthesis, patient frustration and device abandonment, opinions on currently available prostheses, and the ideal design for a thumb prosthesis.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ann M. Simon, Kristi L. Turner, Laura A. Miller, Benjamin K. Potter, Mark D. Beachler, Gregory A. Dumanian, Levi J. Hargrove, Todd A. Kuiken
Summary: This study is the first multi-user study to investigate the control and use of a multi-grip hand prosthesis at home. It found that participants demonstrated broader usage of grips in pattern recognition compared to direct control. After the home trial, participants showed significant improvements in myoelectric control using pattern recognition.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Editorial Material
Orthopedics
David Boone
PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
Meng Zhang, He Gong, Ming Zhang
Summary: This study developed practical machine learning models based on clinical quantitative computed tomography (QCT) images for predicting proximal femoral strength. The models showed good agreement with QCT-based finite element analysis (QCT/FEA) and may have great potential in clinical bone health assessments.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Rehabilitation
Aliyeh Daryabor, Toshiki Kobayashi, Hassan Saeedi, Samuel M. Lyons, Noriaki Maeda, Sedigheh Sadat Naimi
Summary: This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of custom-made 3D printed insoles for people with flatfeet. The evidence from selected studies suggests that using 3D printed insoles may have positive effects on pain and foot function. However, there are discrepancies in the research results regarding plantar pressures, center of pressure trajectories, ankle joint kinematics, and gait kinetics.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Toshiki Kobayashi, Puiyui Wong, Mingyu Hu, Tsubasa Tashiro, Masanori Morikawa, Noriaki Maeda
Summary: Increasing the tension of figure-8 straps in a soft ankle orthosis can restrict ankle joint plantarflexion angle during pre-swing in gait in healthy young adults, but does not significantly affect inversion/eversion or internal/external rotation angles of the ankle joint.
Article
Neurosciences
Hiroshi Hashimoto, Toshiki Kobayashi, Masataka Kataoka, Kuniharu Okuda
Summary: This study compared the effects of angular and translational alignment changes in transtibial prostheses. The results showed that there were differences in the timing of the socket reaction moment in the sagittal plane and differences in the magnitudes of the socket reaction moment in the late stance in the coronal plane between the two alignment changes.
Review
Rehabilitation
Abu Jor, Noelle W. K. Lau, Aliyeh Daryabor, Toshiki Kobayashi
Summary: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) on step-based physical activities in individuals with neurological, orthopaedic, or cardiovascular disorders. Eleven studies were selected and most of them found no significant effects of AFO on step activities. However, a few studies reported improvements in step counts and active times. Overall, AFO seemed to play a vital role in improving patient satisfaction level of step activities.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Satoshi Arima, Noriaki Maeda, Shogo Tsutsumi, Honoka Ishihara, Yasunari Ikuta, Kai Ushio, Hironori Fujishita, Toshiki Kobayashi, Makoto Komiya, Masanori Morikawa, Nobuo Adachi, Yukio Urabe
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between intrinsic foot muscles (IFM) and plantar fascia morphology and the repetitive rebound jumping ability in adolescent athletes. The results showed that the thickness and cross-sectional area of the abductor hallucis (AbH) and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) were positively correlated with jump height and reactive jump index. The dynamic posture stability index (DPSI) was significantly correlated with the thickness of the AbH, but not with other IFMs or plantar fascia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that only the thickness of the FDB was associated with jump height and reactive jump index.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hiroshi Hashimoto, Toshiki Kobayashi, Fan Gao, Masataka Kataoka
Summary: Dynamic alignment adjustment in prosthetic fitting is crucial for user stability, kinematics, and kinetics. The appropriate sequence of adjustment is still unclear. A study was conducted to determine the sequence of adjustment by measuring socket reaction moments in different alignment conditions. The results suggest that finalizing alignment adjustments in the coronal plane is recommended.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Tony Lin-Wei Chen, Yan Wang, Yinghu Peng, Guoxin Zhang, Tommy Tung-Ho Hong, Ming Zhang
Summary: This study compared the advantages of Total talar replacement (TTR) and Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) in restoring foot biomechanics during walking through computational simulations. The results showed that TTR better reproduced the joint motions, segment movements, and plantar pressure distribution of an intact foot.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC TRANSLATION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Toshiki Kobayashi, Mark W. P. Koh, Abu Jor, Genki Hisano, Hiroto Murata, Daisuke Ichimura, Hiroaki Hobara
Summary: The aim of this study was to assess asymmetries in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation during the double limb stance, depending on which limb was leading. It was found that individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation spent a longer duration in terminal double limb stance and experienced higher anteroposterior ground reaction force compared to initial double limb stance. Significant differences in asymmetry ratios were also observed between individuals with and without unilateral transfemoral amputation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mingyu Hu, Toshiki Kobayashi, Genki Hisano, Hiroto Murata, Daisuke Ichimura, Hiroaki Hobara
Summary: Understanding the sprinting patterns of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation is crucial for improving the design of running-specific prostheses and prosthetic gait rehabilitation. This study used continuous relative phase analysis to analyze the sprinting coordination of seven individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation. Significant differences in stance time, stance phase percentage, ankle joint angles, and continuous relative phase of the shank-foot coupling were observed between the lower limbs. However, no significant difference was found in the coordination patterns of the thigh-shank coupling, suggesting a compensation strategy for achieving improved symmetry between the lower limbs.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Shane-Fei Chen, Yan Wang, Yinghu Peng, Ming Zhang
Summary: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of lateral-heel-worn shoes (LHWS) on balance control ability using the single-leg drop jump test. The results indicated that LHWS weakened balance control ability and postural stability in the medial/lateral (M/L) direction, increasing the risk of fall injuries. However, no significant differences were found between LHWS and new shoes (NS) in the anterior/posterior and vertical directions in terms of balance control ability and postural stability during the static phase.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shanefei Chen, Yan Wang, Fangbo Bing, Ming Zhang
Summary: Exhaustion and running speed significantly affect the strain rate of the iliotibial band (ITB). Exhaustion increases the ITB strain rate, while a rapid increase in running speed also leads to a higher ITB strain rate. Therefore, running at a normal speed without excessive fatigue may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of ITBS.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Genki Hisano, Hiroto Murata, Toshiki Kobayashi, Matthew J. Major, Motomu Nakashima, Hiroaki Hobara
Summary: The study found that unilateral transfemoral prosthesis users maintain dynamic balance through different segment-to-segment cancellation strategies, with significant differences observed in the sagittal and transverse planes but not in the frontal plane. This research is important for understanding the mechanisms of dynamic balance control in prosthesis users and improving gait safety.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mingyu Hu, Yufan He, Genki Hisano, Hiroaki Hobara, Toshiki Kobayashi
Summary: Understanding the lower-limb coordination of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation (uTFA) while walking is important for gait rehabilitation and development. This study analyzed the coordination patterns of the thigh-shank and shank-foot couplings in individuals with uTFA. The findings revealed distinct coordination traits in the lower limbs during different phases of gait, as well as compensatory strategies to overcome the limitations of prosthetic limbs.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
