Advances in the measurement of prosthetic socket interface mechanics: a review of technology, techniques, and a 20-year update

Expert Rev Med Devices. 2023 Aug 3. doi: 10.1080/17434440.2023.2244418. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: A key determinant of prosthesis use is the quality of fit of the prosthetic socket. The socket surrounds the residual limb and applies the appropriate force distribution to the soft tissues to maintain suspension, support, and stabilization as well as translate limb movement to prosthesis movement. The challenge in socket fabrication lays in achieving geometry that provides the appropriate force distribution at physiologically appropriate locations; a task dependent on the understanding of interface tissue-mechanics.AREAS COVERED: In the last 20 years substantial advancements in sensor innovation and computational power have allowed researchers to quantify the socket-residual limb interface; this paper reviews prominent measurement and sensing techniques described in literature over this time frame. Advantages and short comings of each technique are discussed with a focus on translation to clinical environments.EXPERT OPINION: Prosthetic sockets directly influence comfort, device use, user satisfaction, and tissue health. Advancements in instrumentation technology have unlocked the possibility of sophisticated measurement systems providing quantitative data that may work in tandem with a clinician's heuristic expertise during socket fabrication. If validated, many of the emerging sensing technologies could be implemented into a clinical setting to better charact...

Source: Expert Review of Medical Devices - August 4, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Peyton R Young Jacqueline S Hebert Paul D Marasco Jason P Carey Jonathon S Schofield Source Type: research