Abstract

With the increase in security challenges in Nigeria, there is a rise in the number of below-knee amputees, especially for members of the armed forces. Other causes of amputation include trauma such as ageing, accidents and surgery related to peripheral vascular disease, cancer, and infection. Loss of limbs affect patients’ quality of life by leading to job losses, limited freedom of mobility, and increased difficulties in daily activities; thus, requiring prosthetic limbs to enhance their quality of life. Hence, this paper surveys passive below knee prosthetic legs designed to provide easy rotation of the leg to enable it to adjust to rugged terrain as is common in sub-Saharan Africa – with marshy and desert terrains. The goal of the survey is to establish a suitable prosthetic foot for the poor that will mimic normal human gait such that amputees are better-off with the prosthesis compared to other supporting devices. The reviewed foot types were selected from the most commonly used in parts of the world with nearly similar terrain and climate as subSaharan Africa. A suitable foot was identified from the reviewed foot types under factors including cultural, cost and terrain. The recommended foot under the factors considered was the Jaipur foot. It was established that the most suitable prosthetic foot design for sub-Saharan Africa does not translate to the cheapest design, but a robust design suitable for unstructured terrains.