Rolling Joint Foot and Ankle (RJFA)

The Rolling Joint Foot and Ankle (RJFA) project was initiated by a DOE contract between Sandia National Laboratories and the Russian Federal Nuclear Center in 1997 to produce a foot and ankle design conceived by Dr. Mark Pitkin at Tufts University. The National Institutes of Health also supported this effort; and an industrial partner, Ohio Willow Wood (OWW), contributed to the project. The RJFA was an Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention (IPP) project, whose primary objective is to encourage nuclear non-proliferation in Russia's New Independent States (NIS) while simultaneously supporting US industry in commercial endeavors with the NIS.

The concept was proposed to produce a foot and ankle that better replicate the torque-angle characteristics as seen in biological prototypes. Research performed by Tufts University and OWW suggested that this characteristic would improve "stump-socket" interaction by reducing pain and associated compensatory body movement of the amputee. It was projected that by allowing for a more normal ambulation and stance, better prosthetic rehabilitation would result in a larger number of amputees using prosthetic limbs.

This project was successfully concluded and a Rolling Joint Foot and Ankle product called the Free-Flow Foot is available through Ohio Willow Wood. Mechanical and Human Gait studies have shown that the product allows for a more natural gait, reducing forces existing between the socket and the anterior and posterior sides of the residuum.