The Only Prosthesis with Powered Propulsion has been redesigned for You and Your Patients.
Power
- Replaces the function & power of lost muscles and tendons.
- Gives your patients net positive energy rather than taking it away – even up ramps, hills & stairs.
Control
- Life-like ankle movement that normalizes your patient’s walking gait.
- Significantly reduces joint forces to help alleviate pain and the potential for osteoarthritis.
Stability
- Adjusts ankle power, resistance and flexion in real-time.
- Centers your patient’s balance for confidence across any surface.
The Challenge
Every day you are challenged with improving your patients’ mobility so that they can be more active, comfortable and confident in their lives.
The BiOM Ankle has been redesigned to give you and your patients more - emPOWER offers all of the trusted benefits of the BiOM Ankle in a more compact, intelligent and refined design.
Increased energy and less fatigue to walk farther and faster
The emPOWER Ankle is still the only prosthesis that replaces the function & power of lost muscles & tendons which gives your patients energy instead of taking it away - even up ramps, hills & stairs. With up to 2 times more battery life than BiOM, the emPOWER Ankle provides even more energy to reduce fatigue and get your patients through their day. In clinical studies, patients using the BiOM Ankle increased their walking speed an average of 23% over conventional prosthetics.1, 2
Patients who walk more, have a lower BMI, as well as a lower incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and associated co-morbidities which cost payers $176B in the U.S. alone.3,4
Normalized gait reduces joint forces to help alleviate pain and the potential for oesteoarthritis
The emPOWER Ankle is the only prosthesis with life-like movement that normalizes your patient’s walking gait. emPOWER’s enhanced power delivery significantly reduces joint forces to help alleviate pain and the potential for oesteoarthritis.1,5
Real-time ankle control for improved safety and stability across any surface
The emPOWER Ankle is still the only prosthesis that controls ankle power, resistance and flexion in real-time for stability across any surface. The emPOWER Ankle helps center your patient’s balance for safety across variable terrain - even rain, snow and dirt.
Learn more emPOWER Healthcare Professionals Brochure
emPOWER Patient Profile
| Amputation Level |
|
| Functional Level | K3, K4 (Low to moderate impact; Ability to walk at variable speeds) |
| Maximum Weight | 287 lbs (130 kg) |
| Foot Sizes | 25-30 cm |
| Minimum Clearance | 8 3/4” (22.2 cm) |
The device is intended to replace a missing foot and ankle. The emPOWER Ankle is to be used exclusively for fittings of lower extremity amputations as prescribed by a healthcare professional.
The emPOWER Ankle does not work for everyone and individual results may vary. The most common complications are complete battery discharge which may reduce walking distance and speed, improper tuning or improper walking up and down stairs which increases the risk of falls.
Download our Patient Profile information
Reimbursement Support
BionX Reimbursement Support works with patients, prosthetists, physicians and payers to expedite pre-authorizations, appeals and other reimbursement needs. Our Reimbursement Support Team can assist in assembling a comprehensive explanation of medical necessity to satisfy insurer requirements related to the emPOWER Ankle.
BionX Reimbursement Support can gather, organize and package information that includes:
- Patient evaluation
- Patient background and prosthetic requirements
- Comparative effectiveness review
- Letter of Medical Necessity from the chart notes and patient evaluation
- Relevant clinical studies to support patient needs
Insurance coverage
The emPOWER Ankle is covered by a number of providers, including Workers’ Compensation, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Non-Profit Funding for veterans who do not have the VA benefit. Ask about BionX Reimbursement Support for pre-authorizations, appeals and other reimbursement needs.
Patients interested in the BiOM Ankle may be eligible for coverage through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs – even if they currently use private insurance for the majority of their healthcare needs. Typically, the patient must have served 24 months of consecutive active duty in the U.S. military. To determine VA eligibility, your patient should click here: http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/veterans.asp
Clinical References:
- Herr, A. Grabowski, ‘Bionic ankle–foot prosthesis normalizes walking gait for persons with leg amputation’, Proc Biol Sci. Vol. 7; 279(1728): 457–464. 2012.
- Grabowski, S. D’Andrea. ‘Effects of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis on kinetic loading of the unaffected leg during level-ground walking,’ Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 10(49), 2013.
- Tudor-Locke C., et al., ‘How many steps/day are enough? For older adults and special populations’, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2011 8:80
- American Diabetes Association, ‘Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2012’ Diabetes Care 2013 Mar; DC_122625.
- Esposito, et al., ‘Step-to-step transition work during level and inclined walking using passive and powered ankle–foot prostheses’, Prosthet Orthot Int., 2015.
- Data on file from the emPOWER Ankle validation testing.
