Phase-change material technology has recently been adopted for prosthesis liners, which may improve temperature control and reduce sweating, in turn decreasing discomfort, suspension issues, and tissue damage. Previous research demonstrated that the technology slowed the temperature increase at the limb-socket interface, but it was not clear how it would translate to clinical outcomes.
The POI study compared conventional and phase-change material liners regarding prosthesis utilization, physical performance, and patient-reported outcome measures in a randomized double-blind crossover study design with six-month intervention periods.
Of the 42 enrolled participants, only 50 percent completed the protocol, in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic that started disrupting data collection midway through the study period, the study’s authors wrote. Based on their data, the researchers were able to conclude that that the temperature control liners were, by trend, associated with better prosthesis utilization.
The study, “Does socket liner material affect clinical outcomes in lower limb prosthesis users? Insights from a randomized control trial,” was published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
