Clinical Evidence for Amputees and Athletics Summary
Overview



Amputation of a limb may cause permanent disability and decrease mobility
temporarily or permanently.1
Limb amputation contributes to an increase in depression and anxiety rates with
amputees, especially two years after amputation.2-4
Because of amputations and the underlying diseases leading to amputation,
individuals with amputations tend to be less physically active than able-bodied
individuals5
Clinical Evidence for Amputees’ Participation in Athletics
Biomechanical Aspects/Athletic Performance
 Individuals with transtibial amputations ran faster and jumped further than
individuals with transfemoral amputations.6
 Transtibial amputees had a greater step length with their prosthetic limb than their
non-prosthetic limb.6
 Transfemoral amputees increased their speed by increasing the step length of their
non-prosthetic limb.6
 Transtibial amputees increased their speed by increasing the step length of their
prosthetic limb.6
Cardiopulmonary Function
 Participation in sports and athletics is beneficial to the cardiopulmonary system,
muscle force, and body mass of amputees.7-9
 Amputees have better aerobic and anaerobic power outputs and fatigue indices
when compared to individuals with other physical disabilities.10
 Rehabilitation times for amputees were shorter when physical training was part of
the rehabilitation program.6
Psychological Benefits
 Amputees who participate in sporting and athletic events had a higher quality of life
and self-esteem than those that do not.11,12
 Participation in sporting and athletic events helps amputees accept their disability
and improve their motor skills.13,14
Sport Participation and Physical Functioning
 It is estimated that 11-61% of individuals with lower limb amputations participate
in sporting events or athletic activities.15-20
 A short but intense physical training regimen improved walking distance and speed
in individuals with lower limb loss due to traumatic injury.21
Sports Injuries
 The emotional benefits of participating in sports outweighed the risk of injury.6
 The presence of pain did not influence perceived activity restrictions.22
References:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Chin T, Sawamura S, Fujita H, et al. Physical fitness of lower limb amputees.
American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation / Association of Academic
Physiatrists. May 2002;81(5):321-325.
Cansever A, Uzun O, Yildiz C, Ates A, Atesalp AS. Depression in men with traumatic
lower part amputation: a comparison to men with surgical lower part amputation.
Military medicine. Feb 2003;168(2):106-109.
Kashani JH, Frank RG, Kashani SR, Wonderlich SA, Reid JC. Depression among
amputees. The Journal of clinical psychiatry. Jul 1983;44(7):256-258.
Singh R, Hunter J, Philip A. The rapid resolution of depression and anxiety
symptoms after lower limb amputation. Clinical rehabilitation. Aug 2007;21(8):754759.
Modan M, Peles E, Halkin H, et al. Increased cardiovascular disease mortality rates in
traumatic lower limb amputees. The American journal of cardiology. Nov 15
1998;82(10):1242-1247.
Bragaru M, Dekker R, Geertzen JH, Dijkstra PU. Amputees and sports: a systematic
review. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). Sep 1 2011;41(9):721-740.
Pitetti KH, Snell PG, Stray-Gundersen J, Gottschalk FA. Aerobic training exercises for
individuals who had amputation of the lower limb. The Journal of bone and joint
surgery. American volume. Jul 1987;69(6):914-921.
Kurdybailo SF, Bogatykh VG. [Swimming as a means of enhancing the adaptive
potentials of the disabled after amputation of the lower extremities]. Voprosy
kurortologii, fizioterapii, i lechebnoi fizicheskoi kultury. Jan-Feb 1997(1):25-28.
Chin T, Sawamura S, Fujita H, et al. Effect of endurance training program based on
anaerobic threshold (AT) for lower limb amputees. Journal of rehabilitation research
and development. Jan-Feb 2001;38(1):7-11.
Hutzler Y, Ochana S, Bolotin R, Kalina E. Aerobic and anaerobic arm-cranking power
outputs of males with lower limb impairments: relationship with sport participation
intensity, age, impairment and functional classification. Spinal cord. Mar
1998;36(3):205-212.
Valliant PM, Bezzubyk I, Daley L, Asu ME. Psychological impact of sport on disabled
athletes. Psychological reports. Jun 1985;56(3):923-929.
Lowther J, Lane A, Lane H. Self-efficacy and psychological skills during the amputee
soccer world cup. Athletic Insight. 2002;4.
Sporner ML, Fitzgerald SG, Dicianno BE, et al. Psychosocial impact of participation in
the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and Winter Sports Clinic. Disability and
rehabilitation. 2009;31(5):410-418.
Couture M, Caron CD, Desrosiers J. Leisure activities following a lower limb
amputation. Disability and rehabilitation. 2010;32(1):57-64.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Kegel B, Carpenter ML, Burgess EM. A survey of lower-limb amputees: prostheses,
phantom sensations, and psychosocial aspects. Bulletin of prosthetics research.
Spring 1977;10(27):43-60.
Kegel B, Carpenter ML, Burgess EM. Functional capabilities of lower extremity
amputees. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. Mar 1978;59(3):109-120.
Kegel B, Webster JC, Burgess EM. Recreational activities of lower extremity
amputees: a survey. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. Jun 1980;61(6):258-264.
Burger H, Marincek C, Isakov E. Mobility of persons after traumatic lower limb
amputation. Disability and rehabilitation. Jul 1997;19(7):272-277.
Yari P, Dijkstra PU, Geertzen JH. Functional outcome of hip disarticulation and
hemipelvectomy: a cross-sectional national descriptive study in the Netherlands.
Clinical rehabilitation. Dec 2008;22(12):1127-1133.
Kars C, Hofman M, Geertzen JH, Pepping GJ, Dekker R. Participation in sports by
lower limb amputees in the Province of Drenthe, The Netherlands. Prosthetics and
orthotics international. Dec 2009;33(4):356-367.
Rau B, Bonvin F, de Bie R. Short-term effect of physiotherapy rehabilitation on
functional performance of lower limb amputees. Prosthetics and orthotics
international. Sep 2007;31(3):258-270.
Desmond D, Gallagher P, Henderson-Slater D, Chatfield R. Pain and psychosocial
adjustment to lower limb amputation amongst prosthesis users. Prosthetics and
orthotics international. Jun 2008;32(2):244-252.