Abstract

The term “Bionic” was coined in 1958 by Jack Steele and is defined as, “life-like”. Advances in microprocessor and other advanced technologies is creating the potential for Bionic lower limb prosthetics to behave more life-like than most could have imagined. While engineering designs and prosthetic fittings have created these opportunities there is still a need for physical therapy to provide the necessary prosthetic training to promote life-like movement strategies for our patients. This presentation will discuss the latest Bionic prosthetic foot and knee components and the therapies required for patients to maximize performance with these state-of-the-art designs. Prosthetic components will be presented in terms of design characteristics for categories of knees and feet, such as microprocessor, powered or other classes of components. Specific physical therapy exercises designed to prepare patients for the use of sophisticated prosthetic components will be presented and the rationale for each treatment discussed. The team of speakers will describe training strategies for utilizing different prosthetic features during specific functional tasks, including: standing, sitting, walking negotiating inclines, declines, stairs, and curbs. When appropriate high-level activities such as running will be discussed. Moreover, difference in prosthetic prescription, fitting and training with higher and lower functioning patients will be highlighted with each functional task. The speakers have decades of experience with advanced prosthetic care and physical therapy treatment designs for Bionic prosthetics and have worked with newest technologies. This presentation will illustrate the need for collaboration between professions to ensure that patients will have prosthetic limbs that appear “life-like”.

Statement of the objective / learning objectives

Participants will be able to:
1) discuss the characteristics of the newest Bionic prosthetics,
2) prescribe pre-prosthetic exercises,
3) and teach patients how to use the features of Bionic prosthetics when performing functional activities.

This session focuses on the topic Prosthetics: Lower Limb Transfemoral and is supported by Össur.