James Foort

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James Foort (December 10, 1921 – April 15, 2020) was a Canadian inventor, artist, and innovator in the field of prosthetic limbs.

Contents

Early life

Foort was born in December 1921 in New West Minster, British Columbia.

In 1941, after spending his childhood as a fisherman and part-time high school student, he joined the Air Force as a wireless operator. When World War II ended, he attended the College of Victoria, where he finished his high school credits. He earned BASc and MASc degrees in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto, 1946 - 1951.

Career in prosthetics

After earning degrees in chemical engineering, James joined Colin McLaurin, an Air Force veteran and aeronautical engineer, and Fred Hampton, a leader in the field of prosthetics, at Sunnybrooke Veteran’s Hospital in Toronto in 1951, working for the department of Veteran’s affairs. With the culmination of World War II, veterans across the world were complaining about the quality of their artificial limbs: "There was clearly a coalescence of national need and emotions [..] which] translated into a political will and funded programs within leading federal agencies in both Canada and the US." [1] At the Sunnybrooke Hospital in Toronto, James helped to develop a prosthetic foot that, unlike any previous models, had no moving parts and essentially functioned like a rocker. In addition, inspired by complaints from fishermen, he replaced the raw hide used to protect the prosthesis with a plastic material that was more suited to withstand various elements such as moisture.

In 1953, James moved to the University of California, Berkeley, where, working with C.W. Radcliff, he helped to develop the quadrilateral socket by developing a jig fitting system for amputations above the knee. Unlike previous technology, these jigs held the correct position of the residual limb, therefore making fitting of the socket for the residual limb easier and more comfortable for amputees to walk. The work that James Foort did at Berkeley remains the basis of contemporary prosthetic alignment according to some in the field. [2] In addition to developing the quadrilateral socket, the team at Berkeley systematized the prosthesis developed by Colin MacLaurin and Fred Hampton for total absence of the limb. The Berkeley team developed the PTB Below knee prosthesis for amputations below the knee. Using completely new technologies, the PTB prosthesis enabled the amputee to walk around with no corset or side joints. Not only did these new adaptations solve the problem of constriction of circulation and ease restriction on the thigh, but it allowed people to be amputated below the knee twice as was usual for amputations related to circulatory problems, thereby increasing their function.

James returned to Canada in 1963, where living and working in Winnipeg, he developed a modular system of lower extremity prosthetics. This ‘tinker toy’ system, as he describes it, meant that instead of long delays in the process of making, adjusting, and replacing prosthetics, it could now be done extremely quickly because each of the parts could fit easily into one another. Everything had to be sculpted before.

In 1971, James moved to Vancouver where, with a team of engineers, he developed a computer program to fit artificial limbs. The program provided a means of making the shape of the socket, which would then be used to program the machine that carved the shape. His modular ‘tinker toy’ system would then be used to put the prosthesis together. The computer system would later be known as CAD-CAM (computer aided design and manufacture). [3] CAD-CAM was developed, and later improved, by prosthetics companies such as Bio-Sculptor. James Foort never attempted to patent any of his technological breakthroughs in pursuit of profit, which made the technology more affordable and easily accessible.

In 2009 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from Queen's University Ontario. [4]

Personal life

Foort retired in December 1986 and latterly lived in Vancouver where he wrote an opera and spent his time doing art, writing, and urban farming. [5]

He died in April 2020 at the age of 98. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prosthesis</span> Artificial device that replaces a missing body part

In medicine, a prosthesis, or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth. Prostheses are intended to restore the normal functions of the missing body part. Amputee rehabilitation is primarily coordinated by a physiatrist as part of an inter-disciplinary team consisting of physiatrists, prosthetists, nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. Prostheses can be created by hand or with computer-aided design (CAD), a software interface that helps creators design and analyze the creation with computer-generated 2-D and 3-D graphics as well as analysis and optimization tools.

Osseointegration is the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing artificial implant. A more recent definition defines osseointegration as "functional ankylosis ", where new bone is laid down directly on the implant surface and the implant exhibits mechanical stability. Osseointegration has enhanced the science of medical bone and joint replacement techniques as well as dental implants and improving prosthetics for amputees.

A Prosthetist and Orthotist, as defined by The World Health Organization, is a healthcare professional with overall responsibly of Prosthetics & Orthotics treatment, who can supervise and mentor the practice of other personnel. They are clinicians trained to assess the needs of the user, prescribe treatment, determine the precise technical specifications of prosthesis and Orthosis, take measurements and image of body segments, prepare model of the evaluation, fit devices and evaluate treatment outcome.

Targeted reinnervation enables amputees to control motorized prosthetic devices and to regain sensory feedback. The method was developed by Dr. Todd Kuiken at Northwestern University and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and Dr. Gregory Dumanian at Northwestern University Division of Plastic Surgery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stump sock</span> Cloth accessory for amputation stumps

Stump socks are tubular medical or clothing accessories with a blind end that are fashioned similar to socks, usually without a heel. They are worn on amputation stumps for a number of reasons. As stump socks are typically worn on body parts that do not contain a foot, their definition is distinct from the average sock type garment.

Hanger, Inc. is a leading national provider of products and services that assist in enhancing or restoring the physical capabilities of patients with disabilities or injuries that is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company provides orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services, distributes O&P devices and components, manages O&P networks, and provides therapeutic solutions to patients and businesses in acute, post-acute, and clinical settings. Hanger, Inc. operates through two segments: Patient Care and Products & Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Edward Hanger</span>

James Edward Hanger was a Confederate States Army veteran of the American Civil War, a prosthetist and a businessman. It is reported that he became the first amputee of the war after being struck in the leg by a cannonball. Hanger subsequently designed and created his own prosthesis, then went on to found a prosthetic company that continues in business today.

LeTourneau Engineering Global Solutions (LEGS) is a non-profit initiative based in Longview, Texas, focused on bringing innovative, extremely low cost, high-quality prosthetic technology to people in developing nations. The focus of LEGS technology is its M1 Knee, a polycentric knee joint that meets international standards and can be manufactured locally for as little as $15 USD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4.5-point player</span>

4.5-point player is a disability sport classification for wheelchair basketball. Players in this class tend to have normal trunk movement, few problems with side-to-side movements, and ability to reach to the side of their chair. Players generally have a below-knee amputation, or some other partial single-leg dysfunction. This classification is for players with minimal levels of disability. In some places, there is a class beyond this called 5-point player for players with no disabilities.

T42 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics, applying to athletes with single above the knee amputations or a disability that is comparable. This class includes ISOD classified A2 and A9 competitors.

T43 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics, applying to athletes with "Double below knee amputation or similar disability." It includes ISOD classified athletes from the A4 and A9 classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T44 (classification)</span> Classification for disability athletics

T44 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics, applying to "Single below knee amputation or an athlete who can walk with moderately reduced function in one or both legs." It includes ISOD A4 and A9 classes.

The Osseointegration Group of Australia is an organisation founded by Sydney orthopedic surgeon and osseointegration specialist Dr Munjed Al Muderis. The Osseointegration Group of Australia Team is made up of specialists from various fields including prosthetics, physio, rehabilitation, anesthesia and psychology.

Amputee sports classification is a disability specific sport classification used for disability sports to facilitate fair competition among people with different types of amputations. This classification was set up by International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD), and is currently managed by IWAS who ISOD merged with in 2005. Several sports have sport specific governing bodies managing classification for amputee sportspeople.

A2 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD).for people with acquired or congenital amputations. A2 sportspeople have one leg amputated above the knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait.

A3 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) for people with acquired or congenital amputations. A3 classified sportspeople have both legs amputated below knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait. Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting, badminton, lawn bowls, sitzball and wheelchair basketball.

A4 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD).for people with acquired or congenital amputations. People in this class have one leg amputated below the knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait. Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting, wheelchair basketball, amputee basketball, amputee football, lawn bowls, and sitzball.

A1 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) for people with acquired or congenital amputations. This class is for sportspeople who have both legs amputated above the knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait. Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting, badminton, lawn bowls, sitzball and wheelchair basketball.

Robert S. Gailey Jr., PT, PhD, FAPTA, is an American physical therapist; professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Physical Therapy; and the Director of the Neil Spielholz Functional Outcomes Research & Evaluation Center. His research efforts include amputee rehabilitation, prosthetic gait, and functional assessment. He developed the Amputee Mobility Predictor (AMP), an outcome measure designed to evaluate the ambulatory potential of lower-limb amputees with and without the use of a prosthesis. In 2002, he was appointed as a Special Advisor to the United States Department of Defense for amputee rehabilitation. In the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, he served as the rehabilitation coordinator for Project Medishare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gait deviations</span> Medical condition

Gait deviations are nominally referred to as any variation of standard human gait, typically manifesting as a coping mechanism in response to an anatomical impairment. Lower-limb amputees are unable to maintain the characteristic walking patterns of an able-bodied individual due to the removal of some portion of the impaired leg. Without the anatomical structure and neuromechanical control of the removed leg segment, amputees must use alternative compensatory strategies to walk efficiently. Prosthetic limbs provide support to the user and more advanced models attempt to mimic the function of the missing anatomy, including biomechanically controlled ankle and knee joints. However, amputees still display quantifiable differences in many measures of ambulation when compared to able-bodied individuals. Several common observations are whole-body movements, slower and wider steps, shorter strides, and increased sway.

References

  1. ↑ Hobson, A. Douglas, "Reflections on rehabilitation engineering history: Are there lessons to be learned?" Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development , Vol. 39 No. 6, November/December 2002, Supplement Pages, 17-22.
  2. ↑ Baird, C. James, Katherine Binder and Kevin Carroll. "Prosthetics and Patient Management: A Comprehensive Clinical Approach." Chapter 9, Transfemoral Prosthetic Designs [on-line document] http://www.slackbooks.com/excerpts/46712/46712.asp Archived 2007-11-02 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Childress, S. Dudley, "Presentation highlights: Computer-Aided Design and Manufacture (CAD-CAM)." Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development Vol. 39 No. 3, (Supplement) May/June 2002. VA/NIH Prosthetics Roundtable Pages 15-16.
  4. ↑ Mensch, Gertrude (2005). "Honorary DSc for James Foort". Prosthetics and Orthotics International. 29 (2): 129–130. doi:10.1080/03093640500246652.
  5. ↑ Smyth, Bronwyn. "88 year old began his love of gardening in the 1920s". cityfarmer.info. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  6. ↑ James FOORT obituary
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