Gait energy consumption and gait efficiency with two different models of prosthetics knees: a single case report

• Autor(a) principal: Sá, Catarina
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Cruz, Joana, Nascimento, Rafael, Silva, José Maurício, Tomás, Maria Teresa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.25758/set.424
• topic: Consumo de oxigénio (VO2); Joelhos mecânicos; Amputação transfemural; Consumo energético; Eficiência energética; O2 consumption (VO2); Mechanical prosthetic knee; Transfemural amputation; Energy expenditure; Gait efficiency

Background – Prosthetic components have a crucial role in the energy efficiency of an amputee’s gait. This is an area of ​​knowledge still in development, where research plays a central role. Objective – The purpose of this case study is to compare the impact on energy consumption of two prosthetic knees, a titanium single-axis constant friction knee joint with internal extension assist, 3R34 (A), and a single-axis pneumatic swing phase control, 3R92 (B). Methodology – The participant was a transtibial amputee, male, with 27 years old, with no other clinical or functional impairments. To measure the energy expenditure a submaximal treadmill (H/P/Cosmos(R) Mercury) exercise stress test combined with a breath-by-breath analysis system (Cosmed Quark PFT Ergo) was used. The same test was applied to both knees, separated by two days. The analyzed variables were O2 consumption (VO2), metabolic equivalent (MET), and gait efficiency (VO2 ratio expected from a healthy individual and the studied individual). A rate of perceived exertion (Borg’s Scale) was used. Results – The results were favorable to knee A (24.2 ml O2/kg/min; 6.9 MET, 43% efficiency) compared with knee B (28.68 ml O2/kg/min; 8.2 MET, 39% efficiency). Conclusion – In this case, a less energy consumption gait corresponds to the prosthesis with knee A. These values may be influenced by the short adaptation period with knee B, so it’s necessary to perform more studies to confirm the previous results and to understand the true impact of the correct adaptation factor to the best prosthetics components for different patients.