ABSTRACT
The below-knee prosthesis is a potentially restorative technology which has allowed many young amputees to live relatively normal lives and even participate in athletics. Although these prostheses have improved, the improvements have been mainly in performances opposed to intrinsic functionality or integration into the lower limb kinematic chain. While the socket design focuses on how weight is distributed to the stump when body weight is applied, it is also important to take into account the suspension of the socket from the stump when loading is removed or reversed during the swing phase of gait (causing centrifugal forces). Decreased amounts of vertical tibial translation have been directly correlated with successful, comfortable prosthetic fittings. Manufacturers have developed innovative ways to reduce pistoning of the soft tissue (i.e. skin, muscle and fat) by creating new suspension techniques and socket liners to counteract the slip of the prosthesis out of the socket (Gholizadeh et al., 2011).
