Direct measurement - call for interested clinicians and scientists

Direct measurement - call for interested clinicians and scientists

11/22/2013

Clinicians and scientists interested in the direct measurement of the forces and moments that affect gait and the residual limb are invited to contact Ed Neumann, CP, PhD, PE, FAAOP, at <Email Address Redacted> and Laurent Frossard, PhD, at <Email Address Redacted> to have your names and email addresses added to the list. Direct measurement is undertaken using scientific instrumentation that is fixed to the prostheses of individual patients, or using sensors inserted between the prosthesis and amputee or between components of the prosthesis. It provides a way to measure many individual aspects of gait and prosthesis use as it pertains to patients in virtually any environment and can be implemented relatively inexpensively in clinical settings. A gait lab is not required. There are several vendors that currently market products that utilize direct measurements (microprocessor knees, powered ankles, pressure sensors, and load cells), and direct measurement is expected to lead to the generation of scientific knowledge and improved clinical practice. It is proposed to develop news items, including a list of publications. There likely are questions that clinicians have on the methods and utility of direct measurement and its potential benefit to patient management, and one of the goals of future communications will be to make practitioners and scientists aware of these questions and the extent to which there are researched answers to them.