This prosthetic ankle promises to be a viable alternative for people with osteoarthritis who previously had to either live with the pain or undergo surgery to fuse the anklebones together.
Fusion cures the pain but leaves the foot solidly set in one position, making walking difficult.
Artificial ankles, along with artificial hips and knees, were first developed in the 1970s. Although the hip and knee prostheses worked well and are now routine treatments for badly damaged joints, ankle replacements had high failure rates and the practice was abandoned in favor of fusion surgery. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wear and tear that damages the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones. When the cushion is gone, bone rubs against bone, causing pain. The primary causes are age and trauma, such as a broken ankle.