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Paralympic Sprint Performance Between 1992 and 2012.

Lara Grobler¹, Suzanne Ferreira, Elmarie Terblanche

¹Dept of Sport Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

|February 25, 2015

Summary

Advances in running-specific prostheses (RSPs) have significantly improved sprint performance for athletes with lower-limb amputations. These technology-driven gains are more pronounced in T42 and T44 classes compared to other Paralympic and Olympic athletes.

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Area of Science:

Sports Science
Biomechanics
Prosthetics Engineering

Background:

The evolution of the Paralympic Games since 1960 highlights advancements in assistive technologies.
Running-specific prostheses (RSPs) have emerged as a key innovation for track athletes with lower-limb amputations.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze sprint performance changes in athletes with lower-limb amputations from 1992 to 2012.
To determine if developments in RSP technology are demonstrably influencing athletic performance.

Main Methods:

Collected 100-m and 200-m race data from Olympic and Paralympic Games (1992-2012).
Calculated performance trends, percentage changes in performance, and competition density (CD).

Main Results:

Athletes with lower-limb amputations, particularly in T42 (26% increase) and T44 (14% increase) classes, showed the most significant performance gains.
Performance improvements in these classes surpassed those of Olympic athletes (<3%) and other Paralympic classes (<10%).
T42 and T44 classes exhibited the lowest competition density.

Conclusions:

Running-specific prosthesis technology has demonstrably contributed to improved sprint performances in Paralympic athletes.
Discrepancies in performance gains between T42 and T44 classes may be linked to the level of disability and reliance on technology for mobility.