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Adherence to Simple Spring-Mass Mechanics During Submaximal Running in Individuals With Unilateral Transfemoral
Ying Wai Tang1,2, Akihiko Murai2, Hiroaki Hobara3
1Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
Abstract:
Lower extremities adhering to the spring mechanics proposed by the spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) model during running are regarded as a form of running-gait optimization among runners. We examined the degree of adherence between experimental and SLIP model-predicted vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation. Nine individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation performed running trials at 6 different speeds on an instrument treadmill. The trials were set at 30% to 80% of their maximum speeds with a 10% increment. The experimental vGRF collected was compared with SLIP model-predicted vGRF. The degree of adherence was calculated using the R2 goodness-of-fit statistics. The experimental vGRF of the affected limbs exhibited a significantly higher degree of adherence than unaffected limbs. There were no significant differences in the degree of adherence between different speed trials for either limb. This finding indicates that running-specific prostheses exhibit mechanical behavior that is consistent with SLIP mechanics, whereas the unaffected limb relies on compensatory, non-SLIP-like strategies. Furthermore, the results suggest that the interaction of running-specific prostheses with other prosthetic components and the residual limb enables the preservation of running mechanics across a range of speeds, thereby supporting the application of SLIP-based modeling to the affected limb.
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