Who invented the flex foot?

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asked Jan 22, 2022 in Other- Health by Nerdlander (970 points)
Who invented the flex foot?

1 Answer

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answered Jan 27, 2022 by Kaptainkanda (10,200 points)
The flex foot was invented by Van Phillips.

Phillips did not work entirely alone. He founded Flex-Foot as a company in 1983 with Abildskov, Barisford, and another partner, Walt Jones.

The Flex-Foot Cheetah is a prosthetic human foot replacement developed by biomedical engineer Van Phillips, who had lost a leg below the knee at age 21; the deficiencies of existing prostheses led him to invent this new prosthesis.

The Flex Foot System is designed to accommodate users with limited range of motion in their ankles.

When the mechanism is unlocked, the pedals pivot to allow for dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the ankle.

Van Phillips, is an American inventor of prosthetics, probably best known for creating the Flex-Foot brand of prosthetic feet and limbs.

Having lost a leg himself in a waterskiing accident at age 21, he was frustrated by the clumsy, uncomfortable artificial limbs available at the time.

The most basic prosthetic feet come in two types: Solid Ankle Cushioned Heel (SACH) and Elastic Keel configurations.

These designs consist of crepe neoprene or urethane foam molded over an inner keel and shaped to resemble a human foot.

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