Piloting a Novel Computational Framework for Identifying Prosthesis‐Specific Contributions to Gait Deviations

ABSTRACT This paper introduces a novel computational framework for evaluating above‐knee prostheses, addressing a major challenge in gait deviation studies: distinguishing between prosthesis‐specific and patient‐specific contributions to gait deviations. This innovative approach utilizes three separate computational models to quantify the changes in gait dynamics necessary to achieve a set of ideal gait kinematics across different prosthesis designs. The pilot study presented here employs a simple two‐dimensional swing‐phase model to conceptually demonstrate how the outcomes of this three‐model framework can assess the extent to which prosthesis design impacts a user's ability to replicate the dynamics of able‐bodied gait. Furthermore, this framework offers potential for optimizing passive prosthetic devices for individual patients, thereby reducing the need for real‐life experiments, clinic visits, and overcoming rehabilitation challenges. This study introduces a novel computational framework to isolate prosthesis‐specific impacts on gait deviations from patient‐specific factors. The framework quantifies and compares gait dynamics utilizing three distinct models to characterize and understand the sources of these deviations. Using a two‐dimensional swing‐phase model, this pilot study demonstrates how prosthetic design influences a user's ability to replicate able‐bodied gait, offering the potential for optimizing prosthetic devices without extensive real‐life testing.