BACKGROUND

: An inverted pendulum model represents the mechanical function of able-bodied individuals walking accurately, with centre of mass height and forward velocity data plotting as sinusoidal curves, 180° out of phase.

OBJECTIVES

: This study investigated whether the inverted pendulum model represented level gait in individuals with a unilateral transfemoral amputation.

STUDY DESIGN

: Controlled trial.

METHODS

: Kinematic and kinetic data from 10 individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation and 15 able-bodied participants were recorded during level walking.

RESULTS

: During level walking, the inverted pendulum model described able-bodied gait well throughout the gait cycle, with median relative time shifts between centre of mass height and velocity maxima and minima between 1.2% and 1.8% of gait cycle. In the group with unilateral transfemoral amputation, the relative time shift was significantly increased during the prosthetic-limb initial double-limb support phase by 6.3%.

CONCLUSION

: The gait of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation shows deviation from a synchronous inverted pendulum model during prosthetic-limb stance. The reported divergence may help explain such individuals' increased metabolic cost of gait. Temporal divergence of inverted pendulum behaviour could potentially be utilised as a tool to assess the efficacy of prosthetic device prescription.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The size of the relative time shifts between centre of mass height and velocity maxima and minima could potentially be used as a tool to quantify the efficacy of innovative prosthetic device design features aimed at reducing the metabolic cost of walking and improving gait efficiency in individuals with amputation.