Introspective Study of Trans-Tibias Amputees in View of the Design of a Durable Prosthetic Foot

The prosthesis is an artificial device that can replace an organ of a human body member to restore a compromised function. It is necessary following the removal of a human organ, which can occur as a result of an illness, trauma or congenital malformation. The trans-tibia prosthesis, in particular, allows the amputee patient to recover the impaired function and regain autonomy, while facilitating their daily social integration. The trans-tibia prosthesis consists of a socket, a sleeve, connecting elements and a prosthetic foot. Each of these components plays a very important role. Among these components, the prosthetic foot usually called “SACH foot” is very often replaced due to cracking and therefore has a fairly short lifespan. At the Center for Equipment and Rehabilitation of Kabalaye (CERK), the SACH foot made using polyurethane and wood is imported and is given to patients with reduced mobility. The aim of this article is twofold, on the one hand, to make a social and pathological study of trans-tibia amputees in relation to the use of the SACH foot prosthesis, on the other hand, to compare this foot with a new prosthetic foot proposed and which is manufactured using extruded polystyrene. The result of prosthetic tests carried out on twenty-four amputees showed that the foot manufactured using extruded polystyrene is better in terms of resistance, bulk and adaptability to active amputees.