Lower Extremity Review
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed robotic shorts—dubbed WalkON—that enable people to walk more easily while expending measurably less energy. The aim is to keep frail individuals and in particular the elderly mobile and healthy for longer.
Researchers from China have successfully developed an artificial muscle with mechanical properties similar to natural muscle tissue. They utilized molecular design to synthesize the artificial muscle through block copolymerization of biocompatible perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and polycaprolactone diol (PCL). By precisely tuning the intra- and intermolecular interactions of…
Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord is a promising strategy for reestablishing walking after spinal cord injury (SCI), recent studies show. But for patients suffering from muscle spasms, the stimulation protocols have a limited effect due to the unpredictable behavior of involuntary muscle stiffness related to spasticity. Muscle spasticity affects almost 70% of patients with SCI.
A team of researchers in the United Kingdom has developed a smart insole system that can accurately measure the body’s interaction with the ground, opening new possibilities in sports science and healthcare by estimating ground reaction forces (GRFs).
Associate Professor Ronnapee Chaichaowarat, PhD, faculty of engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, has developed an Exoskeleton Wheelchair prototype for the elderly and people with mobility problems so they can leave their wheelchair behind to stand and walk with 1 robot.
A sensory neuroprosthesis (SNP) developed by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center has shown promise in improving balance and reducing fall risk for people with lower limb loss. High-density nerve cuff electrodes are installed around the peripheral nerves in the residual limb.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and China’s Hebei University of Technology aimed to accurately measure temperature and strain signals without crosstalk by using laser-induced graphene (LIG), a 2-dimensional (2D) material. In doing so, they stumbled upon the fact that this material also has thermoelectric properties, said Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr.
A new $10.8 million multicenter clinical trial co-led by Gerard Slobogean, MD, MPH, an associate professor of orthopaedics and director of clinical research in the department of orthopaedics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), will determine if hip arthroplasty produces better outcomes for patients age 60 and older who have sustained femoral neck fractures compared to simpler “internal fixation,” which
A new dynamically adaptive material, ‘Roliner,’ that was developed by researchers at the Imperial College London, department of bioengineering, offers amputees the power to change the shape, volume, and stiffness of the liner that is used to attach a prosthetic limb’s socket to a residual leg. Amputees could make these tweaks using their smartphone in real-time, providing a more comfortable and personalized fit.
Using a wearable sensor similar to those used in smartwatches and fitness bands, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) engineers have developed a new, easy and low-cost method that goes beyond step counts: It allows researchers to see how a person walks in daily life.
SPS, Alpharetta, Georgia, a U.S. distributor of orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) products, has awarded 2 recipients—Gunnar Zellman, Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Kate Menzer, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center—with its 2025 SPS O&P Master’s Scholarship, which is given to promising students pursuing a career in the O&P industry.
A gait training robot, developed through collaborative efforts from institutions including the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is designed to significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of gait training through a novel method…
Researchers at University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center have developed a breakthrough three-dimensional (3D) printing technique for generating realistic models of the human femur that could make it easier and less expensive to conduct biomechanical research.
Paul Kesselman, DPM, Lee C. Rogers, DPM, and Jeff Root were elected by Podiatry Management (PM) to receive Lifetime Achievement Awards, marking the first time 2 podiatrists tied for the honor. Kesselman is known for his expertise in billing, coding, and related aspects of podiatry.
A fluorescent dye could help scientists listen in on biochemical conversations between cartilage and bone during the earliest stages of osteoarthritis (OA)—even before the disease causes pain. The unexpected finding could someday lead to novel treatments for patients, according to research conducted on mice.
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