Lower limb amputation is a disabling condition with serious psychological, physical, and functional consequences. The adaptation of a prosthetic device can either mitigate or exacerbate these effects. Although many individuals receive lower limb prostheses, rejection rates remain high. Furthermore, while numerous objective and quantitative methods are available to assess the interface between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket, as well as the device performance, prosthetic fitting largely relies on prosthetists’ observation and expertise. Accordingly, this review describes the most commonly employed methods for evaluating prosthetic fitting, emphasizing frequently used combinations of tools, devices, procedures, and tests for characterizing residual limbs and clinical outcomes, which indirectly contribute to prosthetic fitting evaluation. In July 2023, searches were conducted across the Taylor & Francis, SpringerLink, Sage, ScienceDirect, and Scopus databases, focusing on research papers, case reports, and technical briefs published between 2011 and 2023. Studies were selected by four reviewers, and any discrepancies were resolved through group discussions. The Rayyan tool was employed to ensure that the retrieved publications evaluated residual limb variables involved in prosthetic fitting. The predominant methods for assessing lower-limb prosthetic fitting include mobility evaluation, gait analysis, measurement of physical variables, and stability assessment. Functional tests and self-report questionnaires, which do not require specialized equipment or great expertise, are the most widely utilized techniques. The results demonstrate that, within clinical practice, mobility evaluation is the primary predictor of prosthetic fitting. Since methodologies for measuring more specific variables are often restricted to laboratory settings, future studies should analyze factors that could enable their implementation in clinical contexts.

Dancers are highly trained athletes who are at significant risk of injury due to the repetitive nature of their movement patterns. Most ballet injuries result from overuse and occur in the lower limbs. Therefore, the behavior of the lower limbs during a basic ballet movement should be studied in order to identify and subsequently correct mechanical factors that may contribute to injuries. This study analyzed a cou-de-pied derrière with demi-plié to piqué arabesque gesture executed by 18 ballet dancers identified in two groups: experienced dancers (EDs) and beginner dancers (BDs). Kinematic, baropodometric, and electromyographic analyses enabled the observation of differences between these study groups with regard to joint angles, velocities, foot pressure behavior, and muscle activation during execution of the gesture. Experienced dancers reached greater hip and lumbar spine hyperextension and demonstrated less forward torso flexion, which enables better execution of the gesture compared to BDs. The highest foot pressure in both groups was found in the first metatarsal, with a tendency toward the great toe. In terms of muscular activation, BDs exhibited lower electrical activity than EDs. It is concluded that: 1. ankle and knee angles in demi-plié are not defined by dancers’ expertise; 2. the faster the leg is raised during piqué-arabesque the better the gesture; 3. special attention to the metatarsal heads is required due to the high pressures found in this study; and 4. activation of different muscle groups depends on the complexity of the gesture and dancers expertise.

Background: The quantification of gait parameters in amputees facilitates the assessment of their performance with prosthetic devices. These parameters often depend on measurements based on anatomical aspects that vary across different types of lower limb amputations. Objective: This study aimed to investigate body weight distribution, and gait symmetry, quality, and propulsion, as well as pelvic kinematics in the amputee population. Methods: The EcoWalk baropodometry platform was used to measure plantar pressure, and the G-Walk inertial sensor was used for accelerometry measurements in 29 unilateral lower limb amputees. Results: Values were estimated for each variable under analysis, and the findings were categorized by the level of amputation. All variables exhibited normal distribution within each group under analysis , except for the symmetry index in above-knee (AK) amputees (P=.03). Regarding the body weight distribution (P=.11), velocity (P≥.99), propulsion (P=.38), and quality index (P=.10) of the amputated limb; no significant differences were observed between the AK and below-knee (BK) amputees. The most significant deviation was noted in pelvic obliquity, which was greater in AK amputees compared to BK amputees. Conclusions: The values reported for the variables under analysis may enable the establishment of more precise reference levels for the amputee population, thereby contributing to a more accurate diagnostic process and aiding prosthetic fitting.

The overall objective of this work is to compare the differences between the execution of snatches performed by high-performance male and female weightlifters as well as the lateral symmetry of the gesture through the 2D reconstructions of the kinematics. Seventeen weightlifters (6 women and 11 men) from "Liga Antioquena de Levantamiento de Pesas" participated in this study. Their movements were captured in the frontal and sagittal plane by means of 2D videogrammetry. The articular kinematics of both men and women present the same bilateral symmetry. However, the transition and turnover phases exhibited the most significant changes. Differences between the two study groups can be found in their joint movement range, barbell vertical velocity, and base of support; the latter two were greater in women. This changes can be useful to provide coaches with basic biomechanical tools to improve their practice and to personalize training.

Antecedentes: La estabilidad postural permite a los humanos mantener el centro de masa de su cuerpo dentro de su base de apoyo. Sin embargo, con el tiempo, dicha estabilidad se ve afectada por diferentes factores como la edad, el esfuerzo repetitivo y los accidentes. Si bien los estudios en este campo han investigado la efectividad de la hidroterapia, solo algunos de ellos han explorado su influencia en la estabilidad postural, lo que se refleja en la falta de investigaciones que estimen su impacto en la rehabilitación. Objetivo: Determinar los efectos inmediatos y finales de un protocolo de rutina acuática sobre la estabilidad postural de adultos mayores. Métodos: Se analizó la estabilidad postural de 20 adultos mayores de 60 años mediante métodos electromiográficos y baropodométricos. Se obtuvieron señales electromiográficas del tibial anterior, sóleo, gastrocnemio, vasto interno y bíceps femoral para calcular el porcentaje de coactivación de los músculos encargados de la estabilidad postural. Los datos baropodométricos se recolectaron para analizar el área de la elipse estabilométrica, la presión plantar media y el porcentaje de distribución del peso corporal. Resultados: Ambos métodos mostraron mejoras en los pacientes luego de la aplicación del protocolo de rutina acuática, lo que indica que el tipo de ejercicios acuáticos implementados en este estudio tiene efectos positivos en su estabilidad postural. Conclusión: La estabilidad postural de los participantes mejoró después de cada sesión porque su índice de estabilidad disminuyó junto con la actividad eléctrica de algunos pares de músculos, su peso corporal se distribuyó mejor y se redujo el área de oscilación corporal. Sin embargo, este efecto fue inmediato y no definitivo. Background: Postural stability enables humans to maintain the center of mass of their body within their base of support. Nevertheless, over time, such stability is affected by different factors such as age, repetitive strain, and accidents. Although studies in this field have investigated the effectiveness of hydrotherapy, only a few of them have explored its influence on postural stability, which is reflected in a lack of research that estimates its impact on rehabilitation. Aim: To determine the immediate and final effects of an aquatic routine protocol on the postural stability of elderly subjects. Methods: The postural stability of 20 adults over 60 years of age was analyzed using electromyographic and baropodometric methods. Electromyographic signals were obtained from the tibialis anterior, soleus, both gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, and biceps femoris to calculate the coactivation percentage of the muscles in charge of postural stability. The baropodometric data were collected to analyze the area of the stabilometric ellipse, mean plantar pressure, and weight distribution percentage. Results: The outcome of both methods revealed improvements in the elderly patients after the aquatic routine protocol was applied, which indicates that the type of water exercises implemented in this study has positive effects on their postural stability. Conclusion: The postural stability of the elderly participants was improved after each session because their stability index decreased along with the electrical activity of some muscle pairs, their body weight was better distributed, and the area of body oscillation was reduced. However, this effect was immediate and not final.

Background: Mechanical behavior is difficult to monitor in experimental environments, usually because of geometric or technology implementation limitations. Nevertheless, thermography has been shown to overcome these issues. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate four types of assemblies between a Jaipur foot and a polyethylene tube using infrared thermography in order to find the best mechanical configuration in terms of thermal behavior. Study Design: Mechanical testing. Technique: An infrared camera captured short videos every 5 min over 10 h in six different positions (three in the back and three in front of the Jaipur foot) around a prosthesis subjected to repetitive stresses (axial force 980 N) simulating kinematic variables like joint angles. We established a region of interest around the foot–ankle assemblies and calculated maximum temperatures and thermographic indices. Results: In this study, the best foot–ankle assembly used epoxy adhesive because it presented the lowest temperature in the six positions and the lowest thermal index. Conclusions: Thermographic techniques can be used to study mechanical behaviors in complex experimental situations.