Evaluation of Weight Shift and X-Factor During Golf Swing of Veterans With Lower Limb Loss.
Alexis N Sidiropoulos, Leif M Nelson, Alison L Pruziner and 2 others
PMID 34864764WHAT IT FOUND
Veterans with above-knee amputations showed poorer weight shift during golf swings than those with below-knee amputations.
Those with lead-limb loss had better trunk rotation but worse weight transfer. These biomechanical deficits suggest specific targets for adaptive sports rehabilitation.
Key findings
01Participants with below-knee amputation (BKA) demonstrated better weight shift during the transition phase of the golf swing compared to those with above-knee amputation (AKA).
02Golfers with trail-limb amputation (TLA) showed better weight shift at impact and follow-through compared to those with lead-limb amputation (LLA).
03Golfers with lead-limb amputation (LLA) demonstrated better X-Factor (trunk rotation) values at transition and maximum points compared to those with trail-limb amputation (TLA).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Small sample size (13 participants) with unequal group distribution. All participants were male, limiting generalizability. Retrospective analysis of a convenience sample from a clinic rather than a controlled laboratory setting. Wide range of time since amputation was not controlled. Variety of prosthetic foot-ankle devices used introduced uncontrolled variables.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the U.S. Government (Non-P.H.S.). No specific commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these biomechanical differences as evidence that specific interventions will improve golf performance. This was an observational study of a small sample during a clinic, not a randomized trial testing a treatment effect.