ElanIC

Do More. Feel Good.

Designed to meet your unique needs as an amputee, ElanIC mimics the natural function of the foot and ankle, adapting hydraulic resistance and providing exceptional energy return to give you stability on slopes, steps and uneven terrain. By enabling you to distribute weight evenly when standing and walking, the result is a smoother, safer, more natural walking experience.

Peace of Mind

Featuring simple and safe induction charging technology, ElanIC is completely sealed from the elements meaning that it is waterproof, giving you peace of mind around water.

Compact & Lightweight

ElanIC is the world’s lightest and most compact waterproof microprocessor hydraulic ankle, meaning you don’t have to compromise on the activities you love.

Long Term Health

ElanIC works hard to give you the support you need while protecting your bones and joints from the additional wear and tear that is common for many users of prosthetic limbs.

Sian’s Story

Julie’s Story

Why Elan is Different

Hills and slopes offer unique challenges for amputees. With Microprocessor Active Resistance Control, Elan adjusts the plantar flexion and dorsiflexion resistance levels to provide greater stability for standing and down slopes and greater assistance for walking fast or uphill.

Ramp Brake

When walking downhill, the heel softens allowing the foot to quickly align to the slope for improved safety and security. At the same time, an increased braking effect stabilises the user for a more controlled descent.

Ramp Assist / Fast Walk

When walking fast or up slopes, the heel stiffens allowing for optimal energy storage and return. This aids forward momentum and reduces the effort needed to walk faster or uphill.

Standing Support

When ElanIC senses the user is stationary the ankle increases resistance for greater standing stability. Self-alignment is maintained for a more natural posture and even weight distribution across both limbs.

Swing Clearance

During swing phase, when the foot is not in contact with the ground, the ankle remains in a toe up position to give increased toe clearance on every step.

Scientifically Proven

ElanIC incorporates Blatchford’s award-winning biomimetic hydraulic technology which provides a range of scientifically proven* benefits:

Increased ground clearance reducing risk of trips and falls
Improved balance through hydraulic self-alignment and microprocessor standing support
Improved control and safety on slope negotiation
Improved kinetic gait symmetry
Reduced loading on the residual limb
Increased walking speed

Clinical Compendium

Blatchford Biomimetic Hydraulic Technology mimics the dynamic and adaptive qualities of muscle actuation to encourage more natural gait. Multiple independent scientific studies, comparing Blatchford hydraulic ankle-feet to non-hydraulic feet, have shown:

Greater comfort, reduced socket pressures
Improved safety, reduced risk of trips and falls
Smoother, easier and more natural gait
More evenly balanced inter-limb loading
Greater satisfaction

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Clinical Evidence

Over a decade after challenging conventional wisdom, new scientific evidence continues to be published on the medical advantages of hydraulic ankles. Discover our White Paper ‘A Study of Hydraulic Ankles’.

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*Clinical studies, latest research papers and full references available on our website.

Technical Support

Use the videos below to help guide you through some of the most common fitting tasks with ElanIC.

Induction Charging

Battery Status Check

Enabling Bluetooth

Programming ElanIC

Download the ElanIC Bluetooth & Charging Guide »

Elan^IC Clinical Evidence Reference

Improvements in Clinical Outcomes using Elan compared to ESR feet

SAFETY

Reduced risk of tripping and falls
- Increased minimum toe clearance during swing phase^1,2
Improved knee stability on the prosthetic side during slope descent
- Increased mid-stance external prosthetic knee extensor moment³
Improving standing balance on a slope
- 24-25% reduction in mean inter-limb centre-of-pressure root mean square (COP RMS)⁴

ENERGY EXPENDITURE

Reduced energy expenditure during walking
- Mean 11.8% reduction in energy use on level ground, across all walking speeds⁵
- Mean 20.2% reduction in energy use on slopes, across all gradients⁵
- Mean 8.3% faster walking speed for the same amount of effort⁵

MOBILITY

Improved gait performance
- Faster self-selected walking speed^2,6-9
Improved ground compliance when walking on slopes
- Increased plantarflexion peak during level walking, fast level walking and cambered walking¹⁰
- Increased dorsiflexion peak during level walking, fast level walking and cambered walking¹⁰
Less of a prosthetic “dead spot” during gait
- Reduced aggregate negative COP displacement⁷
- Centre-of-pressure passes anterior to the shank statistically significantly earlier in stance⁷
- Increased minimum instantaneous COM velocity during prosthetic-limb single support phase⁷
- Reduced peak negative COP velocity⁹
- Reduced COP posterior travel distance⁹
Improved ground compliance when walking on slopes
- Increased plantarflexion range during slope descent³
- Increased dorsiflexion range during slope ascent³
Less effort on residual hip for trans-femoral amputees on varied terrains
- Reduced the mean hip extension and flexion moments¹¹
Effects consistent over time
- Same gait variable changes in two gait lab sessions one year apart⁶
- Magnitude of changes comparable between sessions⁶
Brake mode during slope descent to control momentum build up
- Reduced mean prosthetic shank angular velocity in single support¹²
- Increased Unified Deformable Segment (prosthetic ‘ankle’) negative work¹²
Less gait compensation movements during slope descent
- Reduced residual knee flexion at loading response¹²

RESIDUAL LIMB HEALTH

Helps protect vulnerable residual limb tissue, reducing likelihood of damage
- Reduced peak stresses on residual limb¹³
- Reduced stress RMS on residual limb¹³
- Reduced loading rates on residual limb¹³

LOADING SYMMETRY

Greater contribution of prosthetic limb to support during walking
- Increased residual knee peak extension moment⁶
- Decreased residual knee peak flexion moment⁶
- Increased residual knee negative work⁸
Reduced reliance on sound limb for support during walking
- Reduced intact limb peak hip flexion moment⁸
- Reduced intact limb peak dorsiflexion moment⁸
- Reduced intact ankle negative work and total work⁸
- Reduced intact limb total joint work⁸
Better symmetry of loading between prosthetic and sound limbs during standing on a slope
- Degree of asymmetry closer to zero for 5/5 amputees⁴
Reduced residual and sound joint moments during standing of a slope
- Significant reductions in both prosthetic and sound support moments¹⁴
Reduced residual joint moments during standing of a slope for bilateral amputees
- Significant reductions in prosthetic support moment¹⁴
- Permitted ‘natural’ ground reaction vector sagittal plane position, relative to knee joint centres¹⁴
Less pressure on the sole of the contralateral foot
- Peak plantar-pressure¹⁵
Improved gait symmetry
- Reduced stance phase timing asymmetry¹⁶

USER SATISFACTION

Patient reported outcome measures indicate improvements
- Mean improvement across all Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire domains¹⁷
- Bilateral patients showed highest mean improvement in satisfaction¹⁷
Subjective user preference for hydraulic ankle
- 13/13 participants preferred hydraulic ankle¹⁵

Improvements in Clinical Outcomes using Elan compared to non-microprocessor-control hydraulic ankle-feet

SAFETY

Improved knee stability on the prosthetic side during slope descent
- Increased mid-stance external prosthetic knee extensor moment³

MOBILITY

Improved ground compliance when walking down slopes
- Reduced time to foot flat¹²
Brake mode during slope descent increases resistance to dorsiflexion to control momentum build up
- Reduced dorsiflexion range during slope descent³
- Reduced mean prosthetic shank angular velocity in single support¹²
- Increased Unified Deformable Segment (prosthetic ‘ankle’) negative work¹²
- Transition from dorsiflexion to plantarflexion moment occurs earlier in stance phase¹⁸
- Increase in mean prosthetic ‘ankle’ plantarflexion moment integral¹⁸
Assist mode during slope ascent decreases resistance to dorsiflexion to allow easier progression
- Transition from dorsiflexion to plantarflexion moment occurs later in stance phase¹⁸
- Decrease in mean prosthetic ‘ankle’ plantarflexion moment integral¹⁸
Less gait compensation movements during slope descent

Reduced residual knee flexion at loading response¹²

LOADING SYMMETRY

Greater reliance on prosthetic side for bodyweight support during slope descent
- Increased support moment integral¹⁸
Less reliance on sound side for bodyweight support during slope descent
- Decreased support moment integral¹⁸
Less reliance on sound side for bodyweight support during slope ascent
- Decreased support moment integral¹⁸
Reduced sound joint moments during standing of a slope
- Significant reductions in sound support moment¹⁴
Reduced residual joint moments during standing of a slope for bilateral amputees
- Significant reductions in prosthetic support moment¹⁴
- Permitted ‘natural’ ground reaction vector sagittal plane position, relative to knee joint centres¹⁴

References

Full Reference Listing

1.	Riveras M, Ravera E, Ewins D, Shaheen AF, Catalfamo-Formento P. Minimum toe clearance and tripping probability in people with unilateral transtibial amputation walking on ramps with different prosthetic designs. Gait & Posture. 2020 Sep 1;81:41-8.
2.	Johnson L, De Asha AR, Munjal R, et al. Toe clearance when walking in people with unilateral transtibial amputation: effects of passive hydraulic ankle. J Rehabil Res Dev 2014; 51: 429.	Download Overview
3.	Bai X, Ewins D, Crocombe AD, et al. A biomechanical assessment of hydraulic ankle-foot devices with and without micro-processor control during slope ambulation in trans-femoral amputees. PLOS ONE 2018; 13: e0205093.	Download Overview
4.	McGrath M, Laszczak P, Zahedi S, et al. Microprocessor knees with “standing support” and articulating, hydraulic ankles improve balance control and inter-limb loading during quiet standing. J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng 2018; 5: 2055668318795396.	Download Overview
5.	Askew GN, McFarlane LA, Minetti AE, et al. Energy cost of ambulation in trans-tibial amputees using a dynamic-response foot with hydraulic versus rigid ‘ankle’: insights from body centre of mass dynamics. J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 2019; 16: 39.	Download Overview
6.	De Asha AR, Barnett CT, Struchkov V, et al. Which Prosthetic Foot to Prescribe?: Biomechanical Differences Found during a Single-Session Comparison of Different Foot Types Hold True 1 Year Later. JPO J Prosthet Orthot 2017; 29: 39–43.	Download Overview
7.	De Asha AR, Munjal R, Kulkarni J, et al. Impact on the biomechanics of overground gait of using an ‘Echelon’hydraulic ankle–foot device in unilateral trans-tibial and trans-femoral amputees. Clin Biomech 2014; 29: 728–734.
8.	De Asha AR, Munjal R, Kulkarni J, et al. Walking speed related joint kinetic alterations in trans-tibial amputees: impact of hydraulic’ankle’damping. J Neuroengineering Rehabil 2013; 10: 1.	Download Overview
9.	De Asha AR, Johnson L, Munjal R, et al. Attenuation of centre-of-pressure trajectory fluctuations under the prosthetic foot when using an articulating hydraulic ankle attachment compared to fixed attachment. Clin Biomech 2013; 28: 218–224.	Download Overview
10.	Bai X, Ewins D, Crocombe AD, et al. Kinematic and biomimetic assessment of a hydraulic ankle/foot in level ground and camber walking. PLOS ONE 2017; 12: e0180836.	Download Overview
11.	Alexander N, Strutzenberger G, Kroell J, et al. Joint Moments During Downhill and Uphill Walking of a Person with Transfemoral Amputation with a Hydraulic Articulating and a Rigid Prosthetic Ankle—A Case Study. JPO J Prosthet Orthot 2018; 30: 46–54.	Download Overview
12.	Struchkov V, Buckley JG. Biomechanics of ramp descent in unilateral trans-tibial amputees: Comparison of a microprocessor controlled foot with conventional ankle–foot mechanisms. Clin Biomech 2016; 32: 164–170.	Download Overview
13.	Portnoy S, Kristal A, Gefen A, et al. Outdoor dynamic subject-specific evaluation of internal stresses in the residual limb: hydraulic energy-stored prosthetic foot compared to conventional energy-stored prosthetic feet. Gait Posture 2012; 35: 121–125.	Download Overview
14.	McGrath M, Davies KC, Laszczak P, et al. The influence of hydraulic ankles and microprocessor-control on the biomechanics of trans-tibial amputees during quiet standing on a 5° slope. Can Prosthet Orthot J; 2.	Download Overview
15.	Moore R. Effect of a Prosthetic Foot with a Hydraulic Ankle Unit on the Contralateral Foot Peak Plantar Pressures in Individuals with Unilateral Amputation. JPO J Prosthet Orthot 2018; 30: 165–70.	Download Overview
16.	Moore R. Effect on Stance Phase Timing Asymmetry in Individuals with Amputation Using Hydraulic Ankle Units. JPO J Prosthet Orthot 2016; 28: 44–48.	Download Overview
17.	Sedki I, Moore R. Patient evaluation of the Echelon foot using the Seattle Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire. Prosthet Orthot Int 2013; 37: 250–254.	Download Overview
18.	McGrath M, Laszczak P, Zahedi S, et al. The influence of a microprocessor-controlled hydraulic ankle on the kinetic symmetry of trans-tibial amputees during ramp walking: a case series. J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng 2018; 5: 2055668318790650.	Download Overview

See all the Clinical Evidence for every Blatchford product in our Clinical Evidence Finder Tool.

Elan^IC Technical Data

Max. User Weight:

125kg

Activity Level:

2 3 4^**

Size Range:

22-30cm

Component Weight:

1kg^†

Build Height:

172mm sizes 22-26
177mm sizes 27-30

Heel Height:

10mm

**Maximum user weight 100 kg and always use one higher spring rate category than shown in Spring selection table.
†Component weight shown is for a size 26cm without foot shell.

Selection Guide

Click the image for full size version.

Foot Shell Width Guide

Click on the table below to help choose the correct width when ordering the new Sandal Toe Foot Shell. For sizes 25, 26 and 27 you can now choose between Narrow (N) and Wide (W) fittings.

Accessories

Alignment Wedge	940093
Inductive Battery Charger Kit	409087IC
Blatchford Programming Tablet	019179

Ordering

Example Order Number

ELANIC	25	L	N	3	S
Product Code	Size	Side	Width*	Spring Set	Sandal Toe

^{*Narrow (N) and Wide (W) available for sizes 25-27 only.}^{For dark tone add suffix D.}
^{Example: foot size 25, left, narrow, spring rating 3, sandal toe.}

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Key Features

Do More. Feel Good.

Peace of Mind

Compact & Lightweight

Long Term Health

Sian’s Story

Julie’s Story

Why Elan is Different

Ramp Brake

Ramp Assist / Fast Walk

Standing Support

Swing Clearance

Scientifically Proven

Clinical Compendium

Clinical Evidence

Technical Support

Induction Charging

Battery Status Check

Enabling Bluetooth

Programming ElanIC

ElanIC Clinical Evidence Reference

References

ElanIC Technical Data

Selection Guide

Foot Shell Width Guide

Accessories

Ordering

ElanIC Documentation

Product Information

Datasheet

Technical Guides

Science & Education

Other downloads

Elan^IC

Elan^IC Clinical Evidence Reference

Elan^IC Technical Data

Elan^IC Documentation