Objective To analyze the gait characteristics of hip disarticulation amputees, and analyze the reasons for their differences from normal gait, so as to assist clinical diagnosis and evaluation. Methods Through the portable human motion capture device and plantar pressure analysis system, the kinematics and plantar pressure information of 5 hip amputees were collected and compared with 15 healthy volunteers in control group. Gait differences between the amputees and normal subjects and between the affected leg side and the healthy leg side of the amputees were compared. Results The proportion of double-support period for hip amuptees was higher than that of normal gait. Step length, step time, loading response period, mid support period, pre-swing period, proportion of the swing period for the affected leg side and healthy leg side of hip amputees showed significant differences with those of control group. The relative symmetry index of the gait for hip amputees was 0.60±0.05. Compared with the affected leg side, the support period of the healthy leg side was extended, the step length was shortened, the ground reaction force was greater than that of the affected leg side, and the center of pressure trajectory shifted to the affected leg side. Conclusions The gait of hip amputees is significantly different from that of normal people. Hip amputees have weak walking ability, poor gait symmetry, and they lack of continuity in the body’s center of gravity. The results provide experimental basis and theoretical analysis for the design of mechanical structure and control system of novel hip prosthesis.

Objective To study mechanical properties of the interface between hip residual limb and hip socket during the stance phase by using the finite element analysis (FEA) method, so as to provide the theoretical basis for structure optimization and design of hip socket, as well as the research basis for comfort evaluation of hip socket. Methods According to CT scan images of the patient’s residual limb, the model of bone, soft tissues and socket was reconstructed by reverse modeling. The distribution of normal stress and shear stress on the interface between hip residual limb and hip socket was analyzed and a pressure acquisition module system was designed to verify the stress distribution condition. Results The interfacial stress between hip residual limb and hip socket was mainly distributed in the waist and the bottom of the residual limb, and the interfacial stress was more evenly distributed in the rest of the residual limb. The results of finite element calculation were in good agreement with the system measurement results of pressure acquisition module. Conclusions In order to improve force transfer and safety and comfort of the hip socket, it is necessary to fully consider stress condition of the waist and bottom of the residual limb, as well as the coordination degree between residual limb and hip socket.

The rotation center of traditional hip disarticulation prosthesis is often placed in the front and lower part of the socket, which is asymmetric with the rotation center of the healthy hip joint, resulting in poor symmetry between the prosthesis movement and the healthy lower limb movement. Besides, most of the prosthesis are passive joints, which need to rely on the amputee's compensatory hip lifting movement to realize the prosthesis movement, and the same walking movement needs to consume 2-3 times of energy compared with normal people. This paper presents a dynamic hip disarticulation prosthesis (HDPs) based on remote center of mechanism (RCM). Using the double parallelogram design method, taking the minimum size of the mechanism as the objective, the genetic algorithm was used to optimize the size, and the rotation center of the prosthesis was symmetrical with the rotation center of the healthy lower limb. By analyzing the relationship between the torque and angle of hip joint in the process of human walking, the control system mirrored the motion parameters of the lower on the healthy side, and used the parallel drive system to provide assistance for the prosthesis. Based on the established virtual prototype simulation platform of solid works and Adams, the motion simulation of hip disarticulation prosthesis was carried out and the change curve was obtained. Through quantitative comparison with healthy lower limb and traditional prosthesis, the scientificity of the design scheme was analyzed. The results show that the design can achieve the desired effect, and the design scheme is feasible.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Artificial Limbs ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Hip Joint ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Prosthesis Design ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Walking

The body weight support rehabilitation training system has now become an important treatment method for the rehabilitation of lower limb motor dysfunction. In this paper, a pelvic brace body weight support rehabilitation system is proposed, which follows the center of mass height (CoMH) of the human body. It aims to address the problems that the existing pelvic brace body weight support rehabilitation system with constant impedance provides a fixed motion trajectory for the pelvic mechanism during the rehabilitation training and that the patients have low participation in rehabilitation training. The system collectes human lower limb motion information through inertial measurement unit and predicts CoMH through artificial neural network to realize the tracking control of pelvic brace height. The proposed CoMH model was tested through rehabilitation training of hemiplegic patients. The results showed that the range of motion of the hip and knee joints on the affected side of the patient was improved by 25.0% and 31.4%, respectively, and the ratio of swing phase to support phase on the affected side was closer to that of the gait phase on the healthy side, as opposed to the traditional body weight support rehabilitation training model with fixed motion trajectory of pelvic brace. The motion trajectory of the pelvic brace in CoMH mode depends on the current state of the trainer so as to realize the walking training guided by active movement on the healthy side of hemiplegia patients. The strategy of dynamically adjustment of body weight support is more helpful to improve the efficiency of walking rehabilitation training.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Gait ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Pelvis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Walking