Mohammed H. S. Al-Turaiki, Ph.D

Professor of Orthopedic Bio-engineering and Rehabilitation

President of Islamic World Council on Disability & Rehabilitation (ICDR)

Principal Investigator & Director General of Middle East Research Centre for Human Development and Rights (MERCH)

President of Al-Aalem (Scientist) Press Foundation

Date of Birth:                    1374 H (1955)

Marital Status:                   Married with 13 children

Education:

-          B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering(with honors), University of Lancaster, (1980)

-          Ph.D. in Orthopedic Bioengineering & Rehabilitation ,Salford University (1985 )

Employment History:

Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Bioengineering and Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh. 1988-1987

Associate Professor 1990--1996

Professor since 1997.

Honors, Recognition and Achievement:

Awarded the Leadership Award in 1998 by the School of Paediatric Medicine, Temple University, USA.

-          King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for the Welfare of the Gifted, in association with the Arab Gulf States Education Office gave him a special honorary status during the "First Meeting of Gifted Care Institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council States".

-          Received the top ranking award of Saudi Arabia called KING ABDULAZIZ HONOR from King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz in the year 2006.

Research and Publications:

-          He has over 50 textbooks and references and more than (100) scientific publications in the field of prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation, human rights, and democratic transformation in the Arab region.

-          Holds  two internationally recognized patented inventions:

(1)   Lockable rotating ankle joint for modular below-knee prosthesis (USA Patent-1989).

(2)   (2) Non-invasive quantitative human joint instability in-vivo analyzer (European patent-1991).

-          Recipient of the Best Paper Gold Medal Award for the year 1996.

Academic Activities:

-          Established In 1987 The Joint Centre for Research in Prosthetics & Orthotics and Rehabilitation Programmes (JCRPO) in Riyadh, where he holds the chair of Principal Investigator & Director-General.

-          During the period (1989-90), he was a visiting professor at Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA, where he obtained higher Certificates in Prosthetics & Orthotics.

-          He was awarded the Leadership Award in 1998 by the School of Paediatric Medicine, Temple University, USA.

-          He is the Editor-in-Chief of many impressive journals in both Arabic and English. These include Disability World, Arab Health, Scientist (Arabic) and Saudi Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation (SJDR) and Arab Health Journal (AHJ) (English).

-          Editor-in-Chief of Al-Aalem (Scientist) Foundation for Press Publication in Arabic (Al-Aalem, Arab health, and Disability World Magazine),

-          The Principal Investigator & Director-General of Middle East Research Centre for Human Development and Rights (MERCH).

-          Has attended many conferences in Saudi Arabia, Germany, US, UK, China, Japan, Finland, India, to name a few.

Invention Summary

Abstract:

This invention relates to a below knee prosthesis, in particular a patellar tendon bearing prosthesis comprising a socket, a modular shank component, and a foot component.

At present there are a variety of prostheses used for the below knee amputees. None of them, however, allows axial rotation of the foot relative to the shank piece. The absence of the latter facility necessarily limits the function of such a prosthesis if the amputee happens to be a praying muslim. Praying in the sitting position causes a major source of discomfort to the below knee amputee wearing such a prosthesis according to the state of the art, e.g. with a standard PTB (patellar tendon bearing) prosthesis. Many of these amputees complain of painful knees and strains on hips and back when sitting during the performance of prayers.

This invention is intended to remedy these drawbacks. It solves the problem of how to design a reliable, simple foot rotator for a modular below knee prosthesis (endoskeletal system) which facilitates a more comfortable sitting by allowing the foot component of the prosthesis to safely and smoothly axially rotate internally or externally (+90°) with respect to the shank component of the prosthesis and to distribute uniformly the load, while sitting, on the whole lower limb.

The advantage offered by the invention is mainly to enable muslims all over the world with below knee amputations to carry out their religious duties with minimal inconvenience. It offers an immediate, safe and low cost solution to these existing problems.

A further advantage offered by the invention is the fact that no modification of the foot component of the prosthesis is necessary for incorporating the rotary mechanism into any type of conventional PTB prosthesis and the invention can easily be incorporated on any conventional shank prosthesis.