Engineering of Extreme Sports Prosthetics June 26, 2007

Importance Prosthetics enable people to function “normally” Mimic human body part function Engineering plays a role in achieving 100% normal function Not there yet Why do you guys think prosthetics are important? Does anyone have any injuries that have affected their everyday life? What does engineering have to do with it? http://www.swansonopcenter.com/testimonials_story_triathlon.htm

Introduction Types of prosthetics Upper Extremity Lower Extremity Transtibial (below the knee) Transfemoral (above the knee) Available for a variety of different activities Gymnastics, basketball, football, baseball, skiing Prosthetics systems consist of the socket and the prosthesis The prosthesis varies depending on the situation http://www.oandp.com/products/trs/

Prosthetic Socket The socket is the interface between the residual limb and the prosthesis It is the most important component Socket must be both comfortable and functional for it to be usable http://www.hanger.com/sections/po/po_comfortflex.html http://www.activelivingmagazine.com/artman/uploads/12335.jpg http://www.waramps.ca/nac/images/stages7.jpg

Prosthesis Upper Extremity Prosthetics Need the ability to reach, grasp, hold and release objects Some may also require an “elbow” Typically some sort of shock absorption system http://www.ottobock.com http://www.adornequip.co.uk/legs2.jpg http://pegasus.me.jhu.edu/~jabbott/UtahArm.jpg

Prosthesis Lower Extremity Prosthetics A below-the-knee prosthetic includes Foot/ankle assembly Suspension Pylon An above-the-knee prosthetic has an additional knee joint http://www.arimed.com/prosthetics.htm

Extreme Athletic Prosthetics http://symbiotechsusa.com/prosthetic_device_photos_7.htm

Warren Macdonald Double amputee at mid-thigh Left with only six inches of natural femur on each leg Impossible to maneuver full-length prosthetics legs up rock faces Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc. (largest manufacturer) designed miniature, carbon-fiber climbing legs Stands only 4’4” tall on his prosthetic legs http://www.warren-macdonald.com/weepingwall.html

Miniature Climbing Legs Miniature legs keep center of gravity low, thus enabling a person to complete technical maneuvers Legs are spring loaded Shock absorption to withstand jolts Climbing feet that can be placed into small crags and footholds Consist of cut down Vibram (rubber) boot soles with a rotator http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/9a21844dc34ab010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

Accomplishments Since his amputation, Warren has completed expeditions such as: El Capitan in Yosemite National Park 3000 ft. vertical rock face The Weeping Wall in Banff National Park Vertical ice wall Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa Tallest peak at 19,340 ft. Federation Peak in Australia http://www.warren-macdonald.com/index.html

Aron Ralston While climbing Blue John Canyon in Utah, a boulder fell and pinned his arm for 5 days Self-amputated his arm below his elbow to survive Also worked with Hanger Prosthetics to develop a prosthesis for mountaineering and ice climbing Since, he has solo climbed all 59 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/9a21844dc34ab010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/2.html

Modified Arm Sticky rubber assists in maintenance of friction Harness system assists in the bent-elbow position Static, body powered devices Hand Unit Attachments Ice Axe attachment Mixed climbing components coated in Urethane to protect from rubbing against rock http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/9a21844dc34ab010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/2.html

Will Craig Single arm amputee Avid mountain biker and doctor Used his knowledge of the human body and love of biking to develop the first technical riding arm for mountain biking http://www.prostheticarm.com/index.html

The Arm Developed by Advanced Prosthetic Technologies http://www.prostheticarm.com/page3.html Developed by Advanced Prosthetic Technologies System consists of three components: An arm, hand, and tool bracket Able to flex, extend, rotate, and adjust to varying angles depending on the rider Fox Racing Shock absorbs jolts as a natural elbow would Able to ride technical trails, carving turns, jumping, and launching

The Hand The terminal device of the arm Threads into a standard wrist unit Allows for wrist flexion and extension Tool bracket acts like human fingers to securely clamp down on the handle bars Makes the hand a multifunctional device An amputee can use their pre-existing tools and modified tools can be used by others http://www.prostheticarm.com/page4.html

Jarem Frye Above the knee leg amputee Developed sophisticated knee-joint prosthetics that allow him to telemark ski, surf, bike, climb, wakeboard, etc. Founded Symbiotechs USA to market his prosthetic knee http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/9a21844dc34ab010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/4.html

XT9 Knee Prosthetic knee developed for sports that require advanced knee articulation Constructed from aircraft-grade titanium Corrosion resistant in conditions such as snow, ice and water Shock component functions as the amputee’s missing thigh muscle to absorb impact Fully adjustable to a person’s weight, intensity level, activity, and terrain Show Video http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/9a21844dc34ab010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/4.html

Biomechanics Before all of these prosthetics can be developed, we must understand how the body works Biomechanics uses the laws of physics and engineering concepts to describe motion of body segments, and the forces which act upon them during activity

Gait Symmetry A basic start to biomechanics is walking A normal healthy person exhibits certain characteristics Swing Period (34%) Stance Period (62%) Symmetry between feet

Data

Gait Symmetry Lab Using the shoes from the skateboard lab, we are going to look at the gait of an individual Normal gait Altered gait with knee brace and ankle brace

Conclusion http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images_living/prosthetic1.jpg

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