Prosthetics and Biokinetics

Advanced gait retraining and high performance prosthetic training is important if you want to take full advantage of your prosthesis. Irrespective of the level of amputation or the type of prosthesis, you will benefit from seeing a Physiotherapist / Biokineticist, in conjunction with your Prosthetist, for exercise and gait retraining post-prosthetic fitting. If you want to run, jump, live an active outdoor lifestyle then seeing a Physiotherapist / Biokineticist that has trained to understand prosthetic components is highly recommended.

Mobility grades:

Ottobock uses a classification system called MOBIS® . To Ottobock quality and individuality are the top priority in the fabrication of a modular lower limb prosthesis. As a result Ottobock designed the MOBIS® to assist Prosthetists in making the correct choice of prosthetic components. According to Ottobock, the MOBIS® focuses on people and their need for enhanced quality of life. With the aid of the MOBIS® symbol, the prosthetist can immediately recognise the mobility grade and user weight for which functional components such as prosthetic feet, knee joints and hip joints are recommended.

Mobility grade on the MOBIS® symbol:

1) Indoor walker: The user has the ability or the potential to use the prosthesis for transfers or for the purpose of moving slowly on level floors. The amount of time and the distance the user can walk are seriously limited due to his or her condition.

Therapy goal: Restoring the ability to stand and to walk indoors to a limited degree.

2) Restricted outdoor walker: The user has the ability or the potential to walk slowly with the prosthesis and to negotiate low environmental obstacles like curbs, single steps or uneven surfaces. The amount of time and the distance the user can walk are seriously limited due to his or her condition.

Therapy goal: Restoring the ability to stand and limited ability to walk indoors and outdoors.

3) Unrestricted outdoor walker: The user has the ability or the potential to walk with the prosthesis at a medium to high speed as well as at different speeds and simultaneously overcome most natural obstacles. He or she is also capable of walking outdoors and engaging in professional, therapeutic and other activities that do not subject the prosthesis to above-average mechanical strain. There may be an increased need for safety due to secondary circumstances (additional disability, special living conditions) combined with medium to high mobility demands. The amount of time and the distance the user can walk are only mildly restricted compared with individuals without disabilities.

Therapy goal: Restoring the ability to stand and to walk without any restrictions indoors and with only mild restrictions outdoors.

4) Unrestricted outdoor walker with especially high requirements: The user’s ability or potential to walk with a prosthesis is similar to that of the unrestricted outdoor walker. The amount of time and walking distance are not limited. Moreover, due to the high functional demands, a high degree of shock, tension and distortion can occur.

Therapy goal: Restoring the ability to stand, walk and move both indoors and outdoors without any limitations.

Without limitations:

That is a big statement. It is the dream of every prosthetic user. To have unrestricted movement. No limitations. If you are a MOBIS® 3 (wanting to progress to a 4) or a MOBIS® 4 (wanting to be better) then seeing a Biokineticist for advanced training can help you to improve your fitness and strength so that you can excel, and live a life without limitations.

Watch the clips below to see how a well trained amputee, using advanced prosthetic components (Genium X3 Ottobock), can achieve great things.