Anatomic landmarks facilitate predictable partial lower limb loading during aquatic weight bearing

Limb bone loading in swimming turtles: changes in loading facilitate transitions from tubular to flipper-shaped limbs during aquatic invasions.

Members of several terrestrial vertebrate lineages have returned to nearly exclusive use of aquatic habitats. These transitions were often accompanied by changes in skeletal morphology, such as flattening of limb bone shafts. Such morphological changes might be correlated with the exposure of limb bones to altered loading. Though the environmental forces acting on the skeleton differ substantia...

The effect of partial and full weight-bearing on venous return in the lower limb.

We studied the effect of full and partial weight-bearing on venous peak velocity in the legs of 73 subjects. We used colourflow Duplex ultrasound to determine the minimal amount of weight-bearing required to produce the same venous peak velocity as full weight-bearing. We found that the venous peak velocity remains the same in the femoral vein during partial weight-bearing (196 N and above). Th...

Measurement of maximal end-weight-bearing in lower limb amputees.

Modern sockets for lower limb amputees utilize total contact and distribute some weight on the stump end. Its tolerance to bear weight varies but is better after joint disarticulation, however, systematic measures have been missing. Different levels, indications, shapes etc. were analysed with 102 measurements in 69 patients. The maximal-end-weight-bearing of the stump measured on a scale was m...

Estimating Lower Limb Skeletal Loading

Investigation of lower-limb tissue perfusion during loading.

An extant tissue indentor used for amputee residual limb tissue indentation studies was modified to include laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) to enable measurement of tissue perfusion during indentation. This device allows quantitative assessment of the mechanical and physiological response of soft tissues to load, as demonstrated by indentation studies of the lower-limb tissues of young healthy su...