For the prosthetic rehabilitation of a below knee amputee to be successful, the fitting of a patella tendon bearing (PTB) prosthesis should begin within days of the amputation. Due to the demand of hospital beds, patients can be discharged after just 14 days. In cases where the stump has not healed a PTB cannot be fitted and long-term rehabilitation is severely affected.  

 

Jack worked with the bioengineering and physiotherapy departments at King’s College Hospital to develop a limb that could be worn before the stump was fully healed, which patients could put on and take off themselves. The limb had to be easy and comfortable to use, be cosmetically acceptable to the patient and allow a natural gait. The new prosthesis was designed as a modular system allowing immediate post-operative fitting. The limb had a specially designed knee joint which locked when load was applied but was otherwise free to rotate.