The Impact of Blade Technology on Paralympic Sprint Performance Between 1996 and 2016: Bilateral Amputees’ Competitive Advantage

in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

Click name to view affiliation

Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu Yale School of Public Health

Search for other papers by Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
,
Xiang Li Yale School of Public Health
Cornell Law School

Search for other papers by Xiang Li in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
,
Kimberly E. Ona Ayala Yale School of Medicine

Search for other papers by Kimberly E. Ona Ayala in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
,
Yinfei Wu Yale School of Public Health

Search for other papers by Yinfei Wu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
,
Michael Amick Yale School of Medicine

Search for other papers by Michael Amick in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
, and
David B. Frumberg Yale School of Medicine

Search for other papers by David B. Frumberg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
*
Restricted access

It is known that high-performance sprinters with unilateral and bilateral prosthetic lower limbs run at different speeds using different spatiotemporal strategies. Historically, these athletes still competed together in the same races, but 2018 classification rule revisions saw the separation of these two groups. This study sought to compare Paralympic sprint performance between all-comer (i.e., transfemoral and transtibial) unilateral and bilateral amputee sprinters using a large athlete sample. A retrospective analysis of race speed among Paralympic sprinters between 1996 and 2016 was conducted. In total, 584 published race results from 161 sprinters revealed that unilateral and bilateral lower-extremity amputee sprinters had significantly different race speeds in all three race finals (100 m, p value <.001; 200 m, <.001; 400 m, <.001). All-comer bilateral amputee runners ran faster than their unilateral counterparts; performance differences increased with race distance. These data support current classification criteria in amputee sprinting, which may create more equal competitive fields in the future.

Tuakli-Wosornu is with the Dept. of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, and Li and Wu, the Dept. of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA. Li is also with Cornell Law School, Ithaca, NY, USA. Ona Ayala, Amick, and Frumberg are with the Dept. of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Frumberg (david.frumberg@yale.edu) is corresponding author.
  • Collapse
  • Expand
  • Beck, O.N., Taboga, P., & Grabowski, A.M. (2016). Characterizing the mechanical properties of running-specific prostheses. PLoS One, 11(12), e0168298. PubMed ID: 27973573 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168298

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Brüggemann, G.-P., Arampatzis, A., Emrich, F., & Potthast, W. (2008). Biomechanics of double transtibial amputee sprinting using dedicated sprinting prostheses. Sports Technology, 1(4–5), 220227. https://doi.org/10.1002/jst.63

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Greenemeier, L. (2016). Blade runners: Do high-tech prostheses give runners and unfair advantage? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blade-runners-do-high-tech-prostheses-give-runners-an-unfair-advantage/#

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Groothuis, A., & Houdijk, H. (2019). The effect of prosthetic alignment on prosthetic and total leg stiffness while running with simulated running-specific prostheses. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 1, 16. PubMed ID: 33344940 https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2019.00016

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hassani, H., Ghodsi, M., Shadi, M., Noroozi, S., & Dyer, B. (2014). A statistical perspective on running with prosthetic lower-limbs: An advantage or disadvantage. Sports, 2(4), 7684. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports2040076

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hassani, H., Ghodsi, M., Shadi, M., Noroozi, S., & Dyer, B. (2015). An overview of the running performance of athletes with lower-limb amputation at the Paralympic Games 2004–2012. Sports, 3(2), 103115. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports3020103

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hobara, H. (2014). Running-specific prostheses: The history, mechanics, and controversy. Journal of the Society of Biomechanisms, 38(2), 105110. https://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.38.105

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hobara, H., Potthast, W., Sano, Y., Muller, R., Kobayashi, Y., Heldoorn, T.A., & Mochimaru, M. (2015). Does amputation side influence sprint performances in athletes using running-specific prostheses? Springerplus, 4, 670. PubMed ID: 26558173 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-015-1470-0

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • International Paralympic Committee. (2015). International Paralympic Committee IPC athlete classification code.

  • McNamee, M.J., & Parnell, R.J. (2018). Paralympic philosophy and ethics. In I. Brittain & A. Beacom (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of Paralympic studies (pp. 461478). Springer.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Nolan, L. (2008). Carbon fibre prostheses and running in amputees: A review. Foot and Ankle Surgery, 14(3), 125129. PubMed ID: 19083629 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fas.2008.05.007

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Taboga, P., Kram, R., & Grabowski, A. (2016). Maximum-speed curve-running biomechanics of sprinters with and without unilateral leg amputations. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219, 851858. PubMed ID: 26985053 https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.133488

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Tweedy, S.M., Mann, D., & Vanlandewijck, Y.C. (2016). Research needs for the development of evidence-based systems of classification for physical, vision and intellectual impairments. In Y.C. Vanlandewijck & W.R. Thompson (Eds.), Training and coaching the Paralympic athlete (pp. 122149). John Wiley & Sons.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Tweedy, S.M., & Vanlandewijck, Y.C. (2011). International Paralympic Committee position stand—background and scientific principles of classification in Paralympic sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(4), 259269. PubMed ID: 19850575 https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.065060

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Weyand, P.G., Bundle, M.W., McGowan, C.P., Grabowski, A., Brown, M.B., Kram, R., & Herr, H. (2009). The fastest runner on artificial legs: Different limbs, similar function? Journal of Applied Physiology, 107, 903911. PubMed ID: 19541739 https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00174.2009

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • World-Para-Athletics. (2018a). Berlin 2018: Classification explained. Para Athletics (formerly IPC Athletics). https://www.paralympic.org/news/berlin-2018-classification-explained

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • World-Para-Athletics. (2018b). Classification in Para athletics. Para Athletics (formerly IPC Athletics) News & Events. https://www.paralympic.org/athletics/classification

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Zettler, P.J. (2009). Is it cheating to use Cheethas?: The implications of technologically innovative prostheses for sports values and rules. Boston University International Law Journal, 27, 368409. https://readingroom.law.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Is%20it%20cheeting%20to%20use%20Cheetahs?%20The%20implications%20of%20technologically%20innovative%20prostheses%20for%20sports%20value%20and%20rules&author=Zettler,+P.&publication_year=2009&journal=Boston+Univ.+Int.+Law+J.&volume=27&pages=367–409&httpsredir=1&article=3027&context=faculty_pub

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 3118 1222 90
Full Text Views 80 27 2
PDF Downloads 111 37 2