Running-specific prostheses (RSP) emulate the spring-like behaviour of biological limbs during human running, but little research has examined the mechanical means by which amputees achieve top speeds. To better understand the biomechanical effects of RSP during sprinting, we measured ground reaction forces (GRF) and stride kinematics of elite unilateral trans-tibial amputee sprinters across a range of speeds including top speed. Unilateral amputees are ideal subjects because each amputee's affected leg (AL) can be compared with their unaffected leg (UL). We found that stance average vertical GRF were approximately 9 per cent less for the AL compared with the UL across a range of speeds including top speed (p < 0.0001). In contrast, leg swing times were not significantly different between legs at any speed (p 5 0.32). Additionally, AL and UL leg swing times were similar to those reported for non-amputee sprinters. We infer that RSP impair force generation and thus probably limit top speed. Some elite unilateral trans-tibial amputee sprinters appear to have learned or trained to compensate for AL force impairment by swinging both legs rapidly.

Variability is a critical aspect of a dynamical systems analysis. Because there are a number of numerical techniques that can be used in such an analysis, the calculation of variability has several issues that must be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to present a variety of quantitative methods for investigating variability from a dynamical systems perspective. The paper is divided into two major sections covering discrete and continuous methods. Each of these sections is subdivided into two sections. Within discrete methods, we discuss, first, the calculation of the discrete relative phase from a time-series history of two parameters and, second, the use of return maps. Using continuous methods, we present procedures for using angle-angle plots in the evaluation of relative phase. We then discuss the use of phase plots in the calculation of the continuous relative phase. Each of these methods presents unique problems for the researcher and the method to be used is determined by the nature of the question asked.

Running-specific prostheses (RSF) are designed to replicate the spring-like nature of biological legs (bioL) during running. However, it is not clear how these devices affect whole leg stiffness characteristics or running dynamics over a range of speeds. We used a simple spring -mass model to examine running mechanics across a range of speeds, in unilateral and bilateral transtibial amputees and performance-matched controls. We found significant differences between the affected leg (AL) of unilateral amputees and both ALs of bilateral amputees compared with the bioL of non-amputees for nearly every variable measured. Leg stiffness remained constant or increased with speed in bioL, but decreased with speed in legs with RSPs. The decrease in leg stiffness in legs with RSPs was mainly owing to a combination of lower peak ground reaction forces and increased leg compression with increasing speeds. Leg stiffness is an important parameter affecting contact time and the force exerted on the ground. It is likely that the fixed stiffness of the prosthesis coupled with differences in the limb posture required to run with the prosthesis limits the ability to modulate whole leg stiffness and the ability to apply high vertical ground reaction forces during sprinting.

It has been suggested that stronger coupling between locomotory and breathing rhythms may occur as a result of training in the particular movement pattern and also may reduce the perceived workload or metabolic cost of the movement. Research findings on human locomotor-respiratory coordination are equivocal, due in part to the fact that assessment techniques range in sensitivity to important aspects of coordination (e.g. temporal ordering of patterns, half-integer couplings and changes in frequency and phase coupling). An additional aspect that has not received much attention is the adaptability of this coordination to changes in task constraints. The current study investigated the effect of running training on the locomotor-respiratory coordination and the adaptive strategies observed across a wide range of walking and running speeds. Locomotor-respiratory coordination was evaluated by the strength and variability of both frequency and phase coupling patterns that subjects displayed within and across the speed conditions. Male subjects (five runners, five non-runners) locomoted at seven different treadmill speeds. Group results indicated no differences between runners and non-runners with respect to breathing parameters, stride parameters, as well as the strength and variability of the coupling at each speed. Individual results, however, showed that grouping subjects masks large individual differences and strategies across speeds. Coupling strategies indicated that runners show more stable dominant couplings across locomotory speeds than non-runners do. These findings suggest that running training does not change the strength of locomotor-respiratory coupling but rather how these systems adapt to changing speeds.

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An interesting finding from eccentric exercise training interventions is the presence of muscle hypertrophy without changes in maximum concentric strength and/or power. The lack of improvements in concentric strength and/or power could be due to long lasting suppressive effects on muscle force production following eccentric training. Thus, improvements in concentric strength and/or power might not be detected until muscle tissue has recovered (e.?g., several weeks post-training). We evaluated alterations in muscular structure (rectus-femoris, RF, and vastus lateralis, VL, thickness and pennation angles) and maximum concentric cycling power (Pmax) 1-week following 8-weeks of eccentric cycling training (2?/week; 5?10.5?min; 20?55% of Pmax). Pmax was assessed again at 8-weeks post-training. At 1 week post-training, RF and VL thickness increased by 24?4% and 13?2%, respectively, and RF and VL pennation angles increased by 31?4% and 13?1%, respectively (all P<0.05). Compared to pre-training values, Pmax increased by 5?1% and 9?2% at 1 and 8 weeks post-training, respectively (both P<0.05). These results demonstrate that short-duration high-intensity eccentric cycling can be a time-effective intervention for improving muscular structure and function in the lower body of healthy individuals. The larger Pmax increase detected at 8-weeks post-training implies that sufficient recovery might be necessary to fully detect changes in muscular power after eccentric cycling training.

Locomotor respiratory coupling patterns in humans have been assessed on the basis of the interaction between different physiological and motor subsystems; these interactions have implications for movement economy. A complex and dynamical systems framework may provide more insight than entrainment into the variability and adaptability of these rhythms and their coupling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between steady state locomotor-respiratory coordination dynamics and oxygen consumption [Formula: see text] of the movement by varying walking stride frequency from preferred. Twelve male participants walked on a treadmill at a self-selected speed. Stride frequency was varied from -20 to +20% of preferred stride frequency (PSF) while respiratory airflow, gas exchange variables, and stride kinematics were recorded. Discrete relative phase and return map techniques were used to evaluate the strength, stability, and variability of both frequency and phase couplings. Analysis of [Formula: see text] during steady-state walking showed a U-shaped response (P = 0.002) with a minimum at PSF and PSF - 10%. Locomotor-respiratory frequency coupling strength was not greater (P = 0.375) at PSF than any other stride frequency condition. The dominant coupling across all conditions was 2:1 with greater occurrences at the lower stride frequencies. Variability in coupling was the greatest during PSF, indicating an exploration of coupling strategies to search for the coupling frequency strategy with the least oxygen consumption. Contrary to the belief that increased strength of frequency coupling would decrease oxygen consumption; these results conclude that it is the increased variability of frequency coupling that results in lower oxygen consumption.

In this paper, we study dynamic stability during running, focusing on the effects of speed, and the use of a leg prosthesis. We compute and compare the maximal Lyapunov exponents of kinematic time-series data from subjects with and without unilateral transtibial amputations running at a wide range of speeds. We find that the dynamics of the affected leg with the running-specific prosthesis are less stable than the dynamics of the unaffected leg and also less stable than the biological legs of the non-amputee runners. Surprisingly, we find that the center-of-mass dynamics of runners with two intact biological legs are slightly less stable than those of runners with amputations. Our results suggest that while leg asymmetries may be associated with instability, runners may compensate for this effect by increased control of their center-of-mass dynamics.