Amputee Locomotion: Joint Moment Adaptations to Running Speed Using Running-Specific Prostheses after Unilateral Transtibial Amputation.
Brian S Baum, Hiroaki Hobara, Kyung Koh and 3 others
PMID 29406403WHAT IT FOUND
In eight men running with running-specific prostheses, intact limbs produced larger knee and hip moments than prosthetic limbs, but similar to control limbs.
Faster speed increased intact-limb hip flexion and knee swing moments more than prosthetic-limb moments.
Key findings
01The prosthetic limb had lower peak knee extension moments during stance and lower peak knee flexion moments during swing than the intact and control limbs.
02Peak hip extension moments were lower in the residual limb during stance and lower in the prosthetic limb during swing than in the intact limb.
03As speed increased, the intact limb showed greater increases in hip stance flexion and knee swing flexion moments than the prosthetic limb.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only eight male subjects with amputation were studied, so the authors state this may limit generalization to a wider population. Running speeds were only 2.5 m/s, 3.0 m/s, and 3.5 m/s, so slower, faster, and sprinting speeds are unknown. Subjects used three different running-specific prostheses, and prosthesis design was not controlled. The study measured peak joint moments, not injuries, pain, function, or long-term outcomes. Muscle activity was not measured, so lower prosthetic-limb moments could reflect reduced demand, co-contraction, or inability to generate force. Residual limb lengths varied from 0.12m to 0.24m, which may affect limb control and moments.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The publication types list NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the intact limb is overloaded or at higher injury risk. The study measured joint moments during running, not injuries, and the intact limb moments were similar to control limbs.