Abstract:
A foot and ankle joint for a prosthetic appliance has a foot block, an ankle base, and a joint mechanism. The joint includes a resilient block of material such as rubber which is positioned between the foot block and the ankle base. A flexible cable is secured at one end in the ankle base by means of an insert, extends through the rubber block, and is anchored at its other end in the foot block so that the position of the other end is fixed and is not permitted to rotate within the foot block. The components of the foot and ankle block function together to provide the following motions of the foot with respect to the ankle base and connected leg of the user: plantarflexion, dorsalflexion, rotational movement, medial movement, lateral movement and combinations thereof. The foot and ankle joint can be utilized in a conventional or a modular prosthesis.