2008 Volume 19 Pages 139-149
This paper describes evaluation and examination of a hip disarticulation prosthesis (HDP) with hip joint rotation axis on the lateral side of the HDP socket. Walking experiments using the developed HDP and conventional HDPs which is used by subjects in daily living, were performed for two subjects with hip amputation. The walking motions of these subjects were compared with each other and those of an able-bodied person. While walking with the developed HDP, peculiar lumber compensation movements of conventional HDPs walking at the initial contact of the prosthesis with the floor and during swing phase were reduced, so that it is shown that the developed HDP is effective for improving the walking motion of hip amputee. Finally, in order to make the HDP better, the improved design proposal for the hip joint is proposed and examined on a numerical simulation.
