Vacuum assisted suspension system

A method of creating vacuum in a prosthetic socket using a pump, comprising:

• applying a compressive force to a first end of a compression transfer element of the pump by applying weight to a prosthetic foot, the first end of the compression transfer element being connected to the prosthetic foot;
• and
• the compression transfer element increasing the volume of a fluid compartment of the pump via a second end of the compression transfer element connected to a movable wall of the fluid compartment in response to the applied compressive force;
• drawing in fluid from a socket through an input port in response to a compressive force applied to the compression transfer element;
• removing the compressive force from the compression transfer element, the absence of the compressive force enabling the movable wall to decrease the volume of the fluid compartment;
• and
• expelling fluid through an output port in response to a decrease in the volume of the fluid compartment.

A vacuum pump component, comprising:

• an elongate compression transfer element;
• and
• a pump housing defining an enclosed space to receive a fluid, at least one wall of the housing and at least one movable wall defining a fluid compartment, the at least one movable wall connected to the compression transfer element,
• wherein the compression transfer element causes the at least one movable wall of the fluid compartment to reciprocate in the fluid compartment to increase the volume of the fluid compartment in response to a compressive force on the compression transfer element and enables the at least one movable wall to decrease the volume of the fluid compartment in the absence of a compressive force.