INTRODUCTION

Advances in modern medicine are leading to longer average life spans for Americans. The complications that come along with aging, such as strokes, diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, are causing an increase in below knee amputees in our society (Winter and Sienko, 1988). It is, therefore, important to study and analyze these amputees' gait patterns. A comparison of the gait of an able-bodied individual and the gait of a below knee amputee can reveal amputee gait deviations that may help in the continuing process of improving below knee prostheses.

Our purpose is to find and analyze any differences in the gait of the two subjects. We will be measuring joint angles, stance duration, and stride length. In this paper, gait is studied in the sagittal plane through use of a video camera. The viewing frame of the camera includes the full figure of the subject and the ground on which he is walking. Joint markers to be used for calculations are placed on the side of body facing the camera. We examine the motion at selected joints and characteristics of one complete gait cycle. The goal of our study is to learn the differences between able-bodied and amputee gait and understand how these differences may be minimized by improving prosthetic technology.