Investigating the Impact of Running-specific Prostheses Use for Children and Youth with Lower Limb Absence

For children and youth with lower limb absence, the functionality of their prostheses plays an important role in sport participation. The limited functionality of daily-use prostheses (DUPs) necessitates the use of specialized devices such as running-specific prostheses (RSPs); however, much remains unknown regarding their use in paediatric populations. The thesis objective is to investigate the impact of RSP use for children and youth. First, a systematic literature review about running biomechanics using RSPs was conducted which explored the compensatory strategies used by amputees. Second, a study protocol for the evaluation of paediatric RSP running biomechanics is proposed and the intrasession reliability of the start-stop task was assessed in typically developing children. Third, a qualitative analysis through semi-structured interviews was conducted to understand children’s experiences using RSPs. In conclusion, RSPs have positively contributed to children’s participation in sports; however, design improvements can still be made to better suit children’s needs.M.H.Sc.2021-11-30 00:00:0