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Spatiotemporal parameters in sprinters with unilateral and bilateral transfemoral amputations and functional impairments

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Abstract

Purpose

Although sprinters with unilateral (UTF) and bilateral transfemoral (BTF) amputations and functional impairments (FIs) without amputation were allocated into different classifications because of the recent revision of the International Paralympic Committee Athletics Rules and Regulations, it is unclear whether running mechanics differ among the three groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the spatiotemporal parameters of the three groups during 100-m sprint in official competitions.

Methods

Using publicly available Internet broadcasts, we analyzed 11 elite-level sprinters with UTF amputation, 4 sprinters with BTF amputation, and 5 sprinters with FI without amputation. The best personal times for nearly all individuals were included. For each sprinter’s race, the average speed, step frequency, and step length were calculated using the number of steps in conjunction with the official race time.

Results

Although there were no significant differences in the average speed among the UTF, BTF, and FI groups (7.95 ± 0.22, 7.90 ± 0.42, and 7.93 ± 0.14 m/s, respectively, p = 0.87), those with BTF amputation showed significantly lower step frequency (UTF: 4.20 ± 0.20 Hz, BTF: 3.71 ± 0.32 Hz, FI: 4.20 ± 0.10 Hz, p < 0.05) and longer step length (UTF: 1.90 ± 0.08 m, BTF: 2.14 ± 0.02 m, FI: 1.89 ± 0.06 m, p < 0.05) than the other two groups.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the step characteristics during sprinting are not the same among sprinters with UTF amputation, BTF amputations, or FI without amputations.

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Abbreviations

BTF:

Bilateral transfemoral

ES:

Effect size

FI:

Functional impairments

f step :

Average step frequency

L step :

Average step length

Lf ratio :

Step length/step frequency ratio

N step :

Number of steps

S 100 :

Average speed

t race :

Official race times

UTF:

Unilateral transfemoral

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant no. 26702027).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Informatics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tokyo Waterfront 3F, 2-3-26, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0064, Japan

    Hiroaki Hobara, Satoru Hashizume, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi & Yuta Namiki

  2. Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933, Cologne, Germany

    Ralf Müller, Johannes Funken & Wolfgang Potthast

Authors
  1. Hiroaki Hobara
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  2. Satoru Hashizume
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  3. Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
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  4. Yuta Namiki
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  5. Ralf Müller
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  6. Johannes Funken
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  7. Wolfgang Potthast
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Contributions

The study was designed by HH, SH, WP, and RM; HH, SH, YK, and JF wrote the paper with substantial contribution from YN, RM, and WP data were collected by HH. Analyses were performed by HH and SH

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroaki Hobara.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest associated with this study.

Additional information

Communicated by Jean-René Lacour.

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Cite this article

Hobara, H., Hashizume, S., Kobayashi, Y. et al. Spatiotemporal parameters in sprinters with unilateral and bilateral transfemoral amputations and functional impairments. Eur J Appl Physiol 119, 85–90 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4001-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4001-1

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