Principal Investigator: Dr Cheryl Metcalf
Project Team: Dr John Tudor, Dr Ann-Marie Hughes, Dr Russel Torah, Katrina Butler & Ivo Ayala
Date: 2010 - 2011

Due to improvements in military trauma management, combat fatalities are fortunately less common. However, there has been a notable increase in the number of military personnel surviving trauma with serious injuries, such as amputation of one or more limbs. Consequently, this increase in personnel with specific rehabilitation requirements has prompted rigorous investigation into improvements for prosthetic socket prescription and skin health management. Optimising the fit of prosthetic sockets can help reduce potential issues surrounding skin health, such as excessive sites of pressure and shear forces, which can result in ulceration.



The objective of this project was to measure interface pressures between the socket and stump during everyday functional activities.

This project has resulted in a comprehensive biomechanical study of a bilateral transfemoral amputee that included 3D movement analysis, muscle activity, ground reaction forces and pressure at the socket/stump interface. All these data were collected bilaterally and during walking tasks, sit-to-stand, the timed up and go test, and step up/step down.

Bulter, K., Hughes, A.M., Torah, R.N., Alaya,I., Tudor, M.J. & Metcalf, C.D., 2010. Measuring pressures at the sock/stump interface in lower limb amputees: A Pilot Study. Annual BACPAR Conference.14 - 15 November. Wolverhampton, UK.