What is the Optimal Stiffness and Height of a Running-specific Prosthesis?

Summary

The proposed study aims to characterize the effects of running-specific leg prosthetic stiffness and height during on performance during running and sprinting to optimize running-specific prosthesis prescription. The investigators will collect biomechanical and metabolic data from participants with unilateral and bilateral below the knee amputations while they run at different speeds on a treadmill. This data will be used to understand the effects of running prostheses. Then, these parameters will be used to develop prosthetic prescription techniques for people with below the knee amputations.

Conditions

• Amputation, Traumatic
• Traumatic Amputation of Lower Extremity
• Wounds and Injuries

Interventions

DEVICE

Otto Bock prosthesis

Participants will run using the Otto Bock prosthesis at a recommended stiffness and height, one category stiffer than recommended at the recommended height, one category softter than recommended at the recommended height, at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm taller, and at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm shorter.

DEVICE

Ossur prosthesis

Participants will run using the Ossur prosthesis at a recommended stiffness and height, one category stiffer than recommended at the recommended height, one category softter than recommended at the recommended height, at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm taller, and at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm shorter.

DEVICE

Freedom Innovations prosthesis

Participants will run using the Freedom Innovations prosthesis at a recommended stiffness and height, one category stiffer than recommended at the recommended height, one category softter than recommended at the recommended height, at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm taller, and at the optimal stiffness and 2 cm shorter.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United States Department of Defense

  collaborator FED

• VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Alena M Grabowski, PhD · VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2013-10-31

Primary Completion

2018-01-31

Completion

2018-01-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations