Biomechanics of double transtibial amputee sprinting using dedicated sprinting prostheses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the overall kinetics and the kinetics at the joints of the lower limb while sprinting at maximum speed, and to compare the data of a double transtibial amputee and able‐bodied controls running at the same level of performance. One double transtibial amputee, using dedicated sprinting prostheses, and five able‐bodied sprinters participated in the study. The athletes performed submaximal and maximal sprints (60 m) on an indoor track. All of the participants ran three times at each speed (maximal and submaximal). The athletes’ kinematics were recorded using the Vicon 624 system with 12 cameras operating at 250 Hz. Four Kistler force plates (1250 Hz) were used to record ground reaction forces (GRF). External joint moments, joint work, and joint power were calculated from the GRF and the kinematic data. The analysis of total body kinetics revealed lower mechanical work during the stance phase for the double transtibial amputee using Cheetah prostheses than for the able‐bodied athletes running at the same speed. The joint kinetics showed lower external joint moments and joint power at the hip and the knee joints and higher values of joint power at the (prosthetic) ankle joint of the amputee than for the able‐bodied athletes. The ratio of the mechanical work at the ankle joint in the negative and the positive phase during stance was 0.907 for the carbon keels of the prostheses and 0.401 for the healthy ankle joints of the controls. The mechanical work at the knee joints was 11 times higher in the negative phase and 8.1 times higher in the positive phase during stance in the able‐bodied athletes than in the double transtibial amputee sprinter. It was assumed that due to reduced work at the joints of the lower limbs and less energy loss in the prosthetic leg, running with the dedicated prostheses allows for maximum sprinting at lower metabolic costs than in the healthy ankle joint complex.

Keywords:

• sprinting prostheses
• joint kinetics
• double transtibial amputee

Notes

Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Carl‐Diem‐Weg 6, D‐50933 Koeln, Germany E‐mail: brueggemann@dshs‐koeln.de