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Amputation of Lower LimbNCT06938087

Assessment of Safety and Performances of a 3D Printed Prosthetic Foot: A Pilot Study

A study testing 3D printed prosthesis foot and Current prosthesis foot in people with Amputation of Lower Limb, run by Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro at 1 site in Italy.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

A dynamic energy storage and return foot prosthesis is a type of prosthesis designed to mimic and restore the functionality and natural movement of the limb that has been amputated. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Amputation of Lower Limb
What is being tested?
3D printed prosthesis foot and Current prosthesis foot
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
3 participants
Where
1 siteItaly
Study dates
5 May 2025to 7 Jun 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Monolateral below knee amputation
  • Mobility level: K3 or K4
  • Age: 18-65 years old
  • Maximum weigth: 100 Kg
  • Collaborative subject
  • Clinically stable stump

Who cannot join

  • Pregnant
  • Not able to understand written and oral instructions
  • Problems to the stump

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Italy1 site
  • Centro Protesi Inail

    Vigorso Di Budrio, Bologna, 40054

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: Pilot Study to Assess Safety and Performances of a Energy Storing and Return (ESAR) Prosthetic Foot Made in Additive Manufacturing

A dynamic energy storage and return foot prosthesis is a type of prosthesis designed to mimic and restore the functionality and natural movement of the limb that has been amputated. This type of prosthesis is designed to allow patients to perform daily activities, even very dynamic ones, with greater ease and efficiency. The distinguishing feature of a dynamic energy storage and return prosthesis is the presence of a system that accumulates mechanical energy during the support phase on the ground and returns it during the push phase, increasing the amount of push itself. In foot prostheses, it is common to use carbon fiber blades or springs that deform during the support of the foot and then restore themselves, returning elastic energy during the subsequent push. This helps reduce the effort required to walk and allows for more fluid and natural movements. Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology is ideal for highly customized and high-value production. Orthoses/prostheses are particularly suited to exploit the potential of this technology. However, the lack of functional materials that meet different design needs, such as structure and comfort of the devices, has limited the use of AM mainly in orthoses. AM is promising for orthoses due to its customization capability and reduced production costs compared to traditional solutions. In particular, it has been shown how continuous filament carbon printing can lead to the creation of prostheses that have dynamic and energy return characteristics similar to or even superior to commercial ones. The present pilot clinical investigation aims to provide indications regarding the safety and performance of the 3D printed prosthesis - named PROFIL - in a real-world scenario. The state of the art has not yet defined the performance and safety of 3D printed prostheses with thermoplastic materials and continuous carbon fiber. Since greater comfort and the possibility of performing physical activity more easily with the use of these devices is expected, it is considered of interest for clinical practice to evaluate these prostheses. The primary objective of the study is therefore to evaluate the safety and performance of the device during walking on flat surfaces and more demanding tasks. The secondary objectives aims at evaluate usability and deformation of the 3D printed prosthesis under different loading conditions (slow and fast walking, ascending and descending ramps or steps) by mean of fiber-glass sensors integrated in the prosthesis foot.

Being tested
3D printed prosthesis foot, Current prosthesis foot
Keywords
Safety, Lower limb amputation, Additive manufacturing, Prosthesis foot, Performances

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • 3D printed prosthesis footDevice

    Energy storage and restoration 3D printed prosthesis foot

  • Current prosthesis footDevice

    Energy storage and restitution prosthesis foot made in carbon fibers blades

Study groups in NCT06938087
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PROFIL prosthesis footExperimentalRecruited subjects with below kenen amputation wearing the experimental prosthesis foot (PROFIL)
Receives: Device: 3D printed prosthesis foot
Current prosthesis foot (PROFLEX XC)Active comparatorRecruited subjects with below knee amputation wearing the currently used prosthesis foot (PROFIL)
Receives: Device: Current prosthesis foot

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of Adverse Events Occurred During Use of the Intervention Prosthesis Foot

    Adverse events may be: falling, stumbling, lower back pain as consequence of the prosthesis foot use, stump pain as consequence of the prosthesis foot use, breakage of the prosthesis foot

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  2. Change From Comparator of Lower Limb Joint Angles Measured With Inertial Measurements Units (IMUs)

    The IMUs record joints kinematics while subjects perform a series of motor tasks, i.e. walk of flat surfaces at a self-selected speed and ascend/descend stairs and ramps. In particular, the following variables are measured: range of motion of ankle joint (prosthetic ankle), knee joint, and hip joint of the impaired lower limb. The measured angles are normalized on a gait cycle (0% = heel strike, 100% = toe off). The outocome variable is computed as mean difference between the normalized measured angles and the normalized reference value taken from the literature.

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  3. Change From Comparator of Lower Limb Joint Angles Measured With an Optoelectronic System

    The optoelectronic system records joints kinematics while subjects walk of a flat surfaces at a self-selected speed. In particular, the following variables are measured: range of motion of ankle joint (prosthetic ankle), knee joint, and hip joint of the impaired lower limb. The measured angles are normalized on a gait cycle (0% = heel strike, 100% = toe off). The outocome variable is computed as mean difference between the normalized measured angles and the normalized reference value taken from the literature.

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  4. Change From Comparator of Gait Quality Wihile Ascending Ramps With Hill Assessment Index (HAI)

    Hill Assessment Index (HAI) is a 12-points ordinal scale used to evaluate ramp ascending quality; the higher the score the better the gait quality while ascending ramps (0 = cannot do/refuse to do, 11 = even step, without assistive device) .

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  5. Change From Comparator of Gait Quality While Ascending Stairs With Stair Ascending Index (SAI)

    Stair Ascending Index (SAI) is 14-points ordinal scale used to quantify stair ascending qualty; the higher the score the better the gait quality while ascending stairs (0 = cannot do/refuse to do, 13 = Without rail or assistive device, step-over-step pattern)

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  6. Change From Comparator of Equilibrium in Orthostatism by Mean of Force Plates

    The subject is asked to stand still on a force plate for 30 seconds. The sway path of the Centre of Pressure (COP) is recorded. The higher the valure the sway path, the lower the equilibrium in orthostatism. This outcome measure is performed with the eyes open and closed

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  7. Change From Comparator of Load Simmetry While Standing up/Sitting Down From/on a Chiar by Mean of Force Plates

    The subject is asked to sit on a chair with both the feets (sound foot and prosthesis foot) on different force plates. At the "Start" signal, the subject stands up, stands still for 5 seconds and sits down. The weigth distribution on the lower limbs is recorded during the entire task. The symmetry index is computed as the ratio between: the difference between the load peak of the ground reaction force (GRF) measured in the sound side and the load peak of the ground reaction force (GRF) measured in the impaired side ON the sum between the load peak of the ground reaction force (GRF) measured in the sound side and the load peak of the ground reaction force (GRF) measured in the impaired side.

    Asymmetry index = [(peak GRF sound - peak GRF impaired) / (peak GRF sound + peak GRF impaired)]*100%

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  8. Change From Comparator of Amputee Mobility Predictor (AMP-PRO)

    AMP is a 21-item objectve measure in which static and dynamic sitting and standing activities, as well as transfer and gait skills of progressing difficulty are performed. Score range is 0-47. Higher scores indicate better mobility. Based on the final score, 4 groups are defined (K1 = 15-26, K2 = 27-36, K3 = 37-42, K4 = 43-47).

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

  9. Change From Comparator of Functional Mobility Measured With the L-test

    The subject starts from a sitting position. At the "Start" signal, the subject stands up from the chair, walks in a closed 10-meters L-shaped path, and sits down on the same chair. The time necessary to complete the path is measured with a stopwatch. The lower the time to complete the path, the higher the functional mobility.

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change From Comparator of Usability of the Prosthesis Foot

    Usability is measured with an ad hoc custom-made 6-items questionnaire. Each item ranges 1 to 5. To compute the final score, each item is summed up (total range: 6-30). The higher the score, the better the usability.

    Measured: Day 1 and Day 2

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Apr 2025
  2. Study start5 May 2025
  3. Primary completion7 Jun 2025
  4. Study completion7 Jun 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
3 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06938087
Sponsor's protocol ID
CP-PAI-01-23
Status last verified
Dec 2025
First submitted
7 Apr 2025
Last updated
27 Feb 2026
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Anthropometric characteristics Kinematics data measured via IMUs, optoelectronic system and force plates Scores of PROMs

Publications

  • Manero A, Smith P, Sparkman J, Dombrowski M, Courbin D, Kester A, Womack I, Chi A. Implementation of 3D Printing Technology in the Field of Prosthetics: Past, Present, and Future. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 May 10;16(9):1641. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16091641.

    PubMed 31083479
  • South BJ, Fey NP, Bosker G, Neptune RR. Manufacture of energy storage and return prosthetic feet using selective laser sintering. J Biomech Eng. 2010 Jan;132(1):015001. doi: 10.1115/1.4000166.

    PubMed 20524754
  • Klute GK, Berge JS, Orendurff MS, Williams RM, Czerniecki JM. Prosthetic intervention effects on activity of lower-extremity amputees. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006 May;87(5):717-22. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.02.007.

    PubMed 16635636
  • Versluys R, Beyl P, Van Damme M, Desomer A, Van Ham R, Lefeber D. Prosthetic feet: state-of-the-art review and the importance of mimicking human ankle-foot biomechanics. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2009 Mar;4(2):65-75. doi: 10.1080/17483100802715092.

    PubMed 19253096
  • Hafner BJ, Sanders JE, Czerniecki J, Fergason J. Energy storage and return prostheses: does patient perception correlate with biomechanical analysis? Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2002 Jun;17(5):325-44. doi: 10.1016/s0268-0033(02)00020-7.

    PubMed 12084537

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing 3D printed prosthesis foot and Current prosthesis foot in people with Amputation of Lower Limb, run by Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro at 1 site in Italy.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 27 Feb 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of Adverse Events Occurred During Use of the Intervention Prosthesis Foot (time frame: Day 1 and Day 2). The study lists 9 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06938087, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Feb 2026.

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