Predictive prosthetic socket design: part 1—population-based evaluation of transtibial prosthetic sockets by FEA-driven surrogate modelling

It has been proposed that finite element analysis can complement clinical decision making for the appropriate design and manufacture of prosthetic sockets for amputees. However, clinical translation has not been achieved, in part due to lengthy solver times and the complexity involved in model development. In this study, a parametric model was created, informed by variation in (i) population-driven residuum shape morphology, (ii) soft tissue compliance and (iii) prosthetic socket design. A Kriging surrogate model was fitted to the response of the analyses across the design space enabling prediction for new residual limb morphologies and socket designs. It was predicted that morphological variability and prosthetic socket design had a substantial effect on socket-limb interfacial pressure and shear conditions as well as sub-dermal soft tissue strains. These relationships were investigated with a higher resolution of anatomical, surgical and design variability than previously reported, with a reduction in computational expense of six orders of magnitude. This enabled real-time predictions (1.6 ms) with error vs the analytical solutions of < 4 kPa in pressure at residuum tip, and < 3% in soft tissue strain. As such, this framework represents a substantial step towards implementation of finite element analysis in the prosthetics clinic.