Comparison of prosthetic feet prescribed to active individuals using ISO standards

BACKGROUND: Little research has been done on the robustness of prosthetic feet prescribed to military personnel, and manufacturers are not required to test their products prior to sale. This is problematic because the prosthetic feet used by active individuals are subjected to loading conditions not seen in normal gait. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether commercially available heavy-duty prosthetic feet intended for use by military personnel meet ISO 10328 standards. STUDY DESIGN: Bench testing of heavy-duty prosthetic feet using ISO 10328 standards. METHODS: Prosthetic feet from three different manufacturers were tested according to ISO 10328 standards, using a testing frame fitted with axial load and displacement transducers. Pass/fail information was recorded as well as the stiffness and creep of each foot before and after cyclic testing. RESULTS: All feet passed the ISO 10328 standards at the highest loading level, and some significant differences were found within a given model of prosthesis when comparing stiffness and creep before and after cyclic testing. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that manufacturers of heavy-duty prosthetic feet adhere to the voluntary ISO 10328 standards. However, these standards may be insufficient because the tests simulate only idealized gait. Further development of the standards may be necessary to reproduce the circumstances that occur during extreme usage to ensure that prosthetic feet do not fail.