Gait analysis in the amputee: Has it helped the amputee or contributed to the development of improved prosthetic components?

Gait analysis has been used to study amputee ambulation. The question that is being posed is whether or not this research has lead to an improvement in the care of the amputee through improved rehabilitation programs or improved prosthetic design. A conceptual framework is presented to evaluate these contributions under the three domains of residual limb discomfort and mechanical skin injury, reduced capacity to walk distances or run, and reduced endurance and fatigue. The contributions biomechanical research has made to reduce the effects of each of these areas of perceived limitation are presented and discussed.