A prosthesis or orthosis comprising a hinge joint system for functionally assisting, enhancing and/or replacing a hinge joint of a human or animal subject, the hinge joint system comprising: - a first member and a second member interconnected for a rotational movement in respect to one another; - a movement controlling mechanism mounted between the first member and the second member comprising a first MCM part (18,25,57), a second MCM part (19,26,58) and one or more intermediate elements (20,27) provided between the two MCM parts (18,19); wherein, - the first MCM part is connected to the first member or is part of the first member; - the second MCM part is connected to the second member; whereby the MCM comprises biasing means (21,28) which act on the first or second MCM part (18,19) and which, in a contacting mode of operation of the MCM, bias the intermediate elements (20,27) against the other of the first and second MCM part (19,18) and wherein the MCM is such that, in a contacting mode of operation, on the one hand, when a relative torque or force is applied between the first and second member (3,4) in a blocking sense the one or more intermediate elements (20,27) allows or allow transmission of torque or force between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) with essentially no relative movement between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) and, on the other hand, when a torque or force is applied between the first and second member (3,4) in the opposite sense, i.e. opposite to the aforementionned blocking sense, while the MCM is still in a contacting mode of operation, non-blocking relative movement of the first and second MCM parts (18,19) with respect to one another is allowed essentially without transferring any substantial torque or force between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) in the concerned opposite sense, characterized in that the second MCM part (19,26) is connected to the second member by means of a first passive elastic element which is directly or indirectly mounted on the second MCM part (19,26) and in which energy can be stored by increasing the stress in the first elastic element, by compressing, stretching, bending or by twisting it, and which releases the stored energy when the stress accumulated in the first elastic element is decreased. - a first member and a second member interconnected for a rotational movement in respect to one another; - a movement controlling mechanism mounted between the first member and the second member comprising a first MCM part (18,25,57), a second MCM part (19,26,58) and one or more intermediate elements (20,27) provided between the two MCM parts (18,19); wherein, - the first MCM part is connected to the first member or is part of the first member; - the second MCM part is connected to the second member; whereby the MCM comprises biasing means (21,28) which act on the first or second MCM part (18,19) and which, in a contacting mode of operation of the MCM, bias the intermediate elements (20,27) against the other of the first and second MCM part (19,18) and wherein the MCM is such that, in a contacting mode of operation, on the one hand, when a relative torque or force is applied between the first and second member (3,4) in a blocking sense the one or more intermediate elements (20,27) allows or allow transmission of torque or force between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) with essentially no relative movement between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) and, on the other hand, when a torque or force is applied between the first and second member (3,4) in the opposite sense, i.e. opposite to the aforementionned blocking sense, while the MCM is still in a contacting mode of operation, non-blocking relative movement of the first and second MCM parts (18,19) with respect to one another is allowed essentially without transferring any substantial torque or force between the first and second MCM parts (18,19) in the concerned opposite sense, characterized in that the second MCM part (19,26) is connected to the second member by means of a first passive elastic element which is directly or indirectly mounted on the second MCM part (19,26) and in which energy can be stored by increasing the stress in the first elastic element, by compressing, stretching, bending or by twisting it, and which releases the stored energy when the stress accumulated in the first elastic element is decreased.