EFFECT OF THE USE OF LOFSTRAND CRUTCHES AND PROSTHESES ON SOME GAIT PARAMETERS IN AMPUTEE FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Year 2013, Volume: 4 Issue: 4, 60 - 66, 09.10.2013

Nusret Ramazanoğlu , Yaşar Tatar A. Filiz Çamlıgüney Selda Uzun H. Birol Çotuk

Abstract

Lofstrand crutches are used in the pre-prosthetic period after amputations as well as in combination with prostheses ingeriatric amputees. Amputee football is gaining popularity in countries with increasing numbers of terrorist incidents andtraffic accidents. The majority of athletes playing amputee football, played with two Lofstrand crutches and withoutprostheses, use prostheses in their daily lives. In this study, athletes who use prostheses in their daily lives were asked to walkwith their own prostheses and without, with the crutches they use while playing football, and the two gait patterns werecompared with regards to some gait parameters (stride length, stride time, speed, distance and cadence). The study includedfive registered amputee football players with a unilateral lower extremity amputation (above-knee amputees, AKAs/kneedisarticulation, KD). The subjects were asked to walk at a comfortable pace on a 25 meter track using prostheses andLofstrand crutches. Data were collected through the F-Grip system (Tekscan Inc, Boston, USA) from their Loftstrandcrutches and through the F-Scan Mobile system from their footwear (Tekscan Inc, Boston, USA). A comparison of the twogait patterns revealed that there is a difference in stride length, speed, distance and cadence though statistically insignificant (p=.068). However, the difference observed in the stride time was statistically significant (p=.043). As a result of theirfamiliarity with Lofstrand crutches used in trainings and games and their sports skills, amputee footballers displayed asuperior gait pattern with crutches compared to their prosthetic gait.

Keywords

Crutch, prosthesis, gait analysis, amputee, football

References

• Bateni H, Olney SJ. (2002). Kinematic and kinetic variations of below-knee amputee gait. Prostheticand Ortotics Science 14(1): 2‒10.
• Bhagchandani N. (2009). Upper extremity kinetics during lofstrand crutch-assisted gait in children. Master's Theses. http://epublications.marquette.edu/theses_open/43, pp. 43.
• Bhagchandani N, Slavens B, Wang M, Harris G. (2009). Upper extremity biomechanical model of crutch-assisted gait in children Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. EMBC 2009. Annual International Conference of the IEEE, pp. 7164 – 7167.
• Hafner BJ, Willingham LL, Buell NC, Allyn KJ, Smith DG. (2007) Evaluation of function, performance, and prefence as transfemoral amputees transition from mechanical to microprocessor control of the prosthetic knee. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 88(2), 207-217.
• Jaegers SM, Arendzen JH, de Jongh HJ. (1995). Prosthetic gait of unilateral transfemoral amputees: a kinematic study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 76(8): 736‒743.
• Kirtley C. (2006). Clinical gait analysis: theory and practice. Elsevier Limited. Philadelphia,USA, pp.15–38.
• Mattes SJ, Martin PE, Royer TD. (2000). Walking symmetry and energy cost in person with unilateral transtibial amputation: matching prosthetic and intact limb inertial properties. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 81: 561‒568.
• Miller LA. (2003). Theories of human ampulation with applications swing-through crutch gait. (Thesis). Evanston: Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University.
• Royer TD, Wasilewski CA. (2006). Hip and knee frontal plane moments in persons with unilateral, trans-tibial amputation. Gait Posture 23: 303–306.
• Slavens BA, Sturm PF, Bajournaite R, Harris GF. (2009). Upper extremity dynamics during lofstrand crutch-assisted gait in children with myelomeningocele. Gait &Posture 30: 511–517.
• Tokuno CD, Sanderson DJ, Inglis JT, Chua R. (2003). Postural and movement adaptations by individuals with a unilateral below-knee amputation during gait initiation. Gait Posture 18: 158–169.
• Vrieling AH, Van Keeken HG, Schoppen T, Otten E, Halbertsma JPK, Hof AL, Postema K. (2008 A). Gait initiation in lower limb amputees. Gait&Posture 27: 423–430.
• Vrieling AH, Van Keeken HG, Schoppen T, Otten E, Halbertsma JPK, Hof AL, Postema K. (2008 B). Gait termination in lower limb amputees. Gait&Posture 27: 82–90.
• Youdas JW, Kotajarvi BJ, Padgett DJ, Kaufman KR. (2005). Partial weight-bearing gait using conventional assistive devices. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 86: 394–398.