Mechanical Characterization of Prosthetic Feet for the Manufacture of a Tibia Prosthesis Adaptable to Active Patients

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering

© 2025 by SSRG - IJME Journal

Volume 12 Issue 10

Year of Publication : 2025

Authors : Ardjoune Mahamat Maintah, Abdelhakim Boukar

10.14445/23488360/IJME-V12I10P108

How to Cite?

Ardjoune Mahamat Maintah, Abdelhakim Boukar, "Mechanical Characterization of Prosthetic Feet for the Manufacture of a Tibia Prosthesis Adaptable to Active Patients," SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 12,  no. 10, pp. 100-150, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488360/IJME-V12I10P108

Abstract:

In Chad, since the war of 1979, the country has been manufacturing medical devices such as tibia prostheses to help the disabled walk. These devices are artificial organs that replace the lower limbs of the human body and are often used as part of an amputation or to replace a damaged joint. The tibia prosthesis is composed of a socket, a sleeve, a tibial axis, and a prosthetic foot. In Chad, the Kabalaye Apparatus and Rehabilitation Center based in N'Djamena (CARK), provides amputee patients with tibia prostheses with an imported prosthetic foot, commonly called a SACH foot (Solid Ankle Cushion Heel), made of polyurethane. However, this imported foot is heavy and is not suitable for active patients. It is dedicated to patients with reduced mobility, such as the elderly and other sick people. The problem is that if active patients use the prosthesis to walk, the prosthetic foot cracks quickly after a while. In this work, we propose a new prosthetic foot manufactured locally using extruded polystyrene (called the Alhanouna foot) to replace the SACH foot. We then carry out a mechanical characterization of the flexion and compression of these two feet for the validation of the newly manufactured foot. The results of the comparison between these two feet show that the Alhanouna foot is light, resistant to compression, and allows amputees to move long distances (up to 3 kilometers). The results are promising, especially for a country with limited resources like Chad, where the local manufacture of tibia prostheses is a boon for amputees.

Keywords:

Alhanouna foot, Mechanical characterization, SACH foot, Tibia amputee, Tibia prosthesis.

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