Photo of the Week: VA's Pivot-Flex Prosthetic Foot with Dynamic Motion 

The Photo of the Week visually showcases the exciting work federal labs do every day! 

About this photo:

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs annually over 6,000 lower limb amputations on veterans, many of whom are then fitted with a prosthesis. A key difference between their intact foot and the prosthetic is coupled motion; biological limbs rotate in the transverse-plane while plantar- and dorsi-flexing in the sagittal-plane while prosthetics do not.

Glenn Klute, PhD, researcher at the VA’s Center for Limb Loss and Mobility, has prototyped a torsionally adaptive prosthesis that mimics the natural external and internal coupling motions of an intact foot. The VA’s Technology Transfer Program is pursuing the commercialization of this life-improving innovation.

Photo credit: Rafael Cruz

About the federal lab:

Center for Limb Loss and Mobility, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Limb Loss and Mobility at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System is focused on preserving and enhancing mobility in U.S. military veterans and others with foot and leg impairments or amputations.