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Running gait impulse asymmetries in below-knee amputees
F Prince1, P Allard, R G Therrien
1Centre de Recherche Pédiatrique, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada.
Prosthetics and Orthotics International
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Below-knee amputee runners show significant gait asymmetry, especially with rigid prostheses. Flexible keel prostheses reduce this asymmetry, indicating better adaptation to running demands.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Prosthetics
- Human Movement Analysis
Background:
- Running gait in below-knee (BK) amputees often exhibits asymmetry due to prosthetic limitations.
- Prosthetic feet struggle to meet kinematic demands and generate adequate plantarflexion moments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess interlimb asymmetry in BK amputee running gait across different prosthetic foot types.
- To compare the effectiveness of rigid versus flexible keel prostheses in mitigating gait asymmetry.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ground reaction forces (vertical and anteroposterior) and impulses to quantify interlimb asymmetry.
- Measured running speed and ground reaction forces in nine BK amputees and six controls.
- Tested one rigid and three flexible keel prosthetic feet.
Main Results:
- Interlimb asymmetry was present in all tested prostheses, but less pronounced with flexible keel designs.
- Impulse indicators revealed greater asymmetry between prosthetic and sound limbs compared to force indicators.
- Flexible keel prostheses showed asymmetry potentially linked to force-time history modulation rather than magnitude.
Conclusions:
- Flexible keel prostheses demonstrate potential for reducing interlimb gait asymmetry in BK amputee runners.
- Impulses provide a more comprehensive measure of interlimb asymmetry than forces alone.
- Ground reaction forces offer better discrimination between different prosthetic foot designs.