Load-bearing functions and fracture-suspending effects of the patellar-tendon-bearing orthosis were evaluated by means of a contact pressure measurement system. The measurement of the dynamical skin/orthosis contact pressure distribution during walking was carried out using pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sensors. The sensor consists of a thin conductive rubber sheet sandwiched between a pair of copper electrodes and enabled determination of the contact pressure distribution in each of thirty-one equally sized areas covering the entire surface of the lower leg. Measurements were made using the three types of PTB, KBM and PTES orthosis under three sole conditions each. The relative pressure distributions measured were almost identical among the three types of orthosis, while for PTES the area around the patellar tendon made slightly low pressure contact. An experi-ment using an indentation device with an amputated above-the-knee specimen was also carried out to evaluate the fracture-suspending effects of the PTB orthosis. Results including the curve of the applied load-displacement for the specimens in the PTB orthosis were given.
