A research team compared the biomechanical features of gait when using a transfemoral bone-anchored prosthesis after osseointegration (OI) in comparison to healthy gait, and in comparison, to the gait of traditional transfemoral socket prosthesis users.
A computer-based literature search of electronic databases since inception (ranging from 1967 to 2004 depending on the database) to June 14, 2022, identified peer-reviewed articles focusing on the temporal-spatial, kinematic, kinetic, and electromyography data related to gait after transfemoral OI. Eight articles were included and were compared with socket prosthesis users or healthy gait.
Compared with healthy participants, bone-anchored prosthesis users have slower speed and cadence, lower symmetry, longer duration of swing phase, increased pelvic and trunk motion, more hip extension, larger moments on the intact limb, and lower forces on the prosthetic side.
Compared with socket users, bone-anchored prosthesis users’ gait showed faster cadence and longer duration of support phase. There were limited and inconsistent data on changes in trunk, pelvic, and hip motion with OI, according to the study’s authors.
The authors concluded that transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses improve spatial-temporal parameters closer to normal gait when compared to socket gait, but there are persisting deficits compared with healthy gait. They suggested additional studies to confirm the changes in kinematics and kinetics.
The review “Biomechanical characteristics of transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses during gait: A review of literature” was published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
