Fig. 3
From: Prosthetic energy return during walking increases after 3 weeks of adaptation to a new device
Mechanical work changes over 3 week period. Group mean (± 1 SD) joint-level positive and negative work values are shown for 0 weeks (black), 1.5 weeks (gray), and 3 weeks (red) of adaptation to a new prosthetic device. * = denotes significance as revealed by one-way repeated measures ANOVA for effect of time on mechanical work (p < 0.05). Prosthetic ankle-foot positive work (i.e., energy return) increased after adaptation (p = 0.041), including a 6.1% increase at 3 weeks compared to 0 weeks. Sound limb ankle-foot positive work also increased after adaptation (p = 0.036), including a 5.7% increase at 3 weeks compared to 0 weeks. No other work changes were statistically significant. All passive energy-storage-and-return feet did not and cannot exceed 100% energy return, but an increase in positive work generation was observed without a corresponding increase in negative work, contrary to our hypothesis