ABSTRACT

　Knowledge of the running mechanics will provide greater insight into the mannerin which lower-extremity amputees wearing running-specific prostheses （RSPs）regain running capacity and compensate for replacement of an active leg with apassive prosthetic implement. Despite joint moment is commonly-used biomechanicalparameters to enhance our understanding of muscular effort and joint control duringrunning, it remains unclear about joint moment of transfemoral amputees to improverunning speed. The purpose of this study was to investigate joint moments duringmaximal sprinting in unilateral transfemoral amputees wearing RSPs. We recruitedfour paralympic contestants and ten non-paralympic contestants with unilateraltransfemoral amputation. The participants performed maximum sprinting over an indoor 40-m straight runway, where seven force platforms and optical motion capturecameras were placed approximately 22 m from the starting line. The prosthetic“ ankle”joint was defined by the markers on the most acute point on the prosthesis curvatureattached to the midpoint between the RSP medial and lateral edges. Joint momentswere calculated through an inverse dynamics approach. Paralympic contestants hadgreater hip extension moment in intact limb than non-paralympic contestants. Further,in the prosthetic limb, paralympic contestants also had greater plantarflexion momentthan non-paralympic contestants. The results of the present study suggest that strengthtraining for muscles around hip joint and loading on running-specific prosthesis may bekey factors to improve running speed for unilateral transfemoral amputees.　

DECENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.40/The DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE