Categorization of Activities of Daily Living of Lower Limb Amputees During Short-Term Use of a Portable Kinetic Recording System: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

In Brief The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine the relevance of the categorization of the load regime data to assess the functional output and usage of the prosthesis of lower limb amputees. The objectives were a) to introduce a categorization of load regime, b) to present some descriptors of each activity, and c) to report the results for a case. The load applied on the osseointegrated fixation of one transfemoral amputee was recorded using a portable kinetic system for 5 hours. The periods of directional locomotion, localized locomotion, and stationary loading occurred 44%, 34%, and 22% of recording time and each accounted for 51%, 38%, and 12% of the duration of the periods of activity, respectively. The absolute maximum force during directional locomotion, localized locomotion, and stationary loading was 19%, 15%, and 8% of the body weight on the anteroposterior axis, 20%, 19%, and 12% on the mediolateral axis, and 121%, 106%, and 99% on the long axis. A total of 2,783 gait cycles were recorded. Approximately 10% more gait cycles and 50% more of the total impulse than conventional analyses were identified. The proposed categorization and apparatus have the potential to complement conventional instruments, particularly for difficult cases. This preliminary study aimed to determine the relevance of the categorization of load regime data to assess the functional output and usage of their prostheses by lower-limb amputees. The study revealed that categorization of activities of daily living based on a portable kinetic system enables the characterization of the actual functional output and usage of the prosthesis and has the potential to complement conventional instruments, particularly for difficult cases.