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Mechanical testing of transtibial prosthetic sockets: a discussion paper from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Socket Guidance Workgroup

Mechanical testing of transtibial prosthetic sockets: a discussion paper from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Socket Guidance Workgroup
Mechanical testing of transtibial prosthetic sockets: a discussion paper from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Socket Guidance Workgroup

Background: the advent of novel manufacturing technologies, materials, and socket design concepts could introduce risks to prosthetic limb users, as the existing knowledge base for safe fabrication may not apply. Moreover, although structural test standards exist for mass-produced prosthetic components, they are not applicable to prosthetic sockets. 

Methods: the “AOPA Socket Guidance Workgroup” was formed in 2020 to provide the prosthetic community with evidence-based clinical best practices and methods in the field of prosthetic socket structural analysis. This multidisciplinary expert workgroup undertook a critical analysis of the knowledge gaps regarding the requirements for mechanical testing of lower limb prosthetic sockets. 

Results: the Workgroup identified knowledge gaps in 4 domains. Domain 1 describes the shape and composition of a mock residual limb, required to support and generate in vivo representative loading within the socket. Domain 2 concerns prosthetic socket coordinate systems and alignment. Domain 3 regards the components and requirements of test specimens. Finally, Domain 4 considers test conditions, loading parameters, and acceptance criteria. 

Conclusions: this paper describes these knowledge gaps in detail and recommends potential solution approaches based on literature review, group consensus around existing knowledge, or the formation of new study groups to fill each knowledge gap. Our intent is for the recommendations arising from this paper to support the community (e.g., researchers in the clinic, academia, industry, and funders) in addressing these knowledge gaps.

lower limb, prosthetic socket, testing
0309-3646
3-12
Gariboldi, Francesca
e7fe1ad1-997f-4a75-9841-a0f6d6334656
Cutti, Andrea Giovanni
693f51fb-b7ac-4dbd-9845-060a44b5057f
Fatone, Stefania
a34a1618-0d33-4d1d-a557-c882e7a1b361
Nickel, Eric
59d0a2d4-40a0-49c0-87a8-0d225dc274b7
Dickinson, Alex
10151972-c1b5-4f7d-bc12-6482b5870cad
Steer, Joshua
b958f526-9782-4e36-9c49-ad48e8f650ed
Erenstone, Jeffrey
ad21c953-1d14-4342-874a-c2d23781790d
Zahedi, Saeed
fec0d8af-5088-4b23-b94e-2ba1d019850a
AOPA Socket Testing Workgroup
Gariboldi, Francesca
e7fe1ad1-997f-4a75-9841-a0f6d6334656
Cutti, Andrea Giovanni
693f51fb-b7ac-4dbd-9845-060a44b5057f
Fatone, Stefania
a34a1618-0d33-4d1d-a557-c882e7a1b361
Nickel, Eric
59d0a2d4-40a0-49c0-87a8-0d225dc274b7
Dickinson, Alex
10151972-c1b5-4f7d-bc12-6482b5870cad
Steer, Joshua
b958f526-9782-4e36-9c49-ad48e8f650ed
Erenstone, Jeffrey
ad21c953-1d14-4342-874a-c2d23781790d
Zahedi, Saeed
fec0d8af-5088-4b23-b94e-2ba1d019850a

Gariboldi, Francesca, Cutti, Andrea Giovanni, Fatone, Stefania, Nickel, Eric, Dickinson, Alex, Steer, Joshua, Erenstone, Jeffrey and Zahedi, Saeed , AOPA Socket Testing Workgroup (2023) Mechanical testing of transtibial prosthetic sockets: a discussion paper from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Socket Guidance Workgroup. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 47 (1), 3-12. (doi:10.1097/PXR.0000000000000222).

Record type: Review

Abstract

Background: the advent of novel manufacturing technologies, materials, and socket design concepts could introduce risks to prosthetic limb users, as the existing knowledge base for safe fabrication may not apply. Moreover, although structural test standards exist for mass-produced prosthetic components, they are not applicable to prosthetic sockets. 

Methods: the “AOPA Socket Guidance Workgroup” was formed in 2020 to provide the prosthetic community with evidence-based clinical best practices and methods in the field of prosthetic socket structural analysis. This multidisciplinary expert workgroup undertook a critical analysis of the knowledge gaps regarding the requirements for mechanical testing of lower limb prosthetic sockets. 

Results: the Workgroup identified knowledge gaps in 4 domains. Domain 1 describes the shape and composition of a mock residual limb, required to support and generate in vivo representative loading within the socket. Domain 2 concerns prosthetic socket coordinate systems and alignment. Domain 3 regards the components and requirements of test specimens. Finally, Domain 4 considers test conditions, loading parameters, and acceptance criteria. 

Conclusions: this paper describes these knowledge gaps in detail and recommends potential solution approaches based on literature review, group consensus around existing knowledge, or the formation of new study groups to fill each knowledge gap. Our intent is for the recommendations arising from this paper to support the community (e.g., researchers in the clinic, academia, industry, and funders) in addressing these knowledge gaps.

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Accepted/In Press date: 21 January 2023
Published date: 9 February 2023
Additional Information: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer incorporated on behalf of The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.
Keywords: lower limb, prosthetic socket, testing

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 474954
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/474954
ISSN: 0309-3646
PURE UUID: 3a8a4e10-28bd-4fbb-a1af-0dce9e7ef99c
ORCID for Alex Dickinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9647-1944
ORCID for Joshua Steer: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6288-1347

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 07 Mar 2023 17:45
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 02:05

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Contributors

Author: Francesca Gariboldi
Author: Andrea Giovanni Cutti
Author: Stefania Fatone
Author: Eric Nickel
Author: Alex Dickinson ORCID iD
Author: Joshua Steer ORCID iD
Author: Jeffrey Erenstone
Author: Saeed Zahedi
Corporate Author: AOPA Socket Testing Workgroup

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