ProtoKinetics For Prosthetists & Orthotists
For Prosthetists & Orthotists, Quantitative Gait Analysis (QGA) like that provided by ProtoKinetics PKMAS software and Zeno Walkway are instrumental in clearly identifying, understanding, and correcting gait deviations of amputee patients. QGA can be used to increase the patient’s stability, balance, and confidence.
An amputee’s gait is affected by deviations they adopt to compensate for the prosthesis, balance challenges, muscle weakness and tightening, pain and soreness, and fear of falling.
All these deviations contribute to an altered gait pattern and relying on observational gait analysis alone may miss critical aspects of these deviations, making the patient’s gait more difficult to correct.
Optimizing the gait of an amputee will help to increase comfort in the residual limb, make ambulation more efficient, and reduce compensatory movements which over time may be detrimental.
ProtoKinetics PKMAS software and ZENO Walkway allows the Prosthetist & Orthotist to measure gait data such as:
- temporal and spatial parameters
- coefficient of variation
- footfall
- relative pressure
- step and stride
- gait phase
- gait cycle
- velocity
- distance
- coordinates
- Center of Pressure (COP)
- static measurements such as quiet standing
- and more
This quantitative gait and balance assessment data in patients with lower-limb amputations allows for detailed comparison against able-bodied persons for fast analysis of abnormal movements.
The data collected by gait analysis software can be used to determine the cause of and accurately correct gait deviations and create standards and baselines against which the patient’s progress can be tracked during rehabilitation.
Protokinetics PKMAS software and Zeno Walkway can:
- Compare different bracing/fitting/socket/foot conditions to discover optimal gait and maximize patient function
- Determine gait deviations to assist in brace and prosthetic adjustments
- Show patients quantitative data to assist with patient compliance
- Send quantitative data to insurance companies to justify clinical choices and get reimbursed.