On Ankle-Foot Prostheses: An Introduction to Biomechanical Goals, Modern Design Principles, Device Evaluation, and Current Clinical Practice.

Prosthetic ankle-foot design is a rapidly evolving field encompassing three principal device categories: passive, active, and quasi-passive. Although each category has generated substantial published literature, this body of work remains fragmented, leaving clinicians unaware of emerging research developments and engineers disconnected from clinical practice. This disconnect ultimately impedes the translation of insights between disciplines. Here, we synthesize principles from modern prosthetic ankle-foot design, establishing connections among biomechanical objectives, clinical evaluation methodologies, and engineering design fundamentals across devices used in both clinical practice and research settings.