Sport prostheses and prosthetic adaptations for the upper and lower limb amputees: an overview of peer reviewed literature.
BACKGROUND
Sport prostheses are used by both upper- and lower-limb amputees while participating in sports and other physical activities. Although the number of these devices has increased over the past decade, no overview of the peer reviewed literature describing them has been published previously. Such an overview will allow specialists to choose appropriate prostheses based on available scientific evidence rather than on personal experience or preference.


OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the sport prostheses as they are described by the papers published in peer reviewed literature.


METHODS
Literature review.


METHODS
Four electronic databases were searched using free text and Medical Subject Headings (MESH) terms. Papers were included if they concerned a prosthesis or a prosthetic adaptation used in sports. Papers were excluded if they did not originate from peer reviewed sources, if they concerned prostheses for body parts other than the upper or lower limbs, if they concerned amputations distal to the wrist or ankle, or if they were written in a language other than English.


RESULTS
Twenty-four papers were included in this study. The vast majority contained descriptive data and consisted of expert opinions and technical notes.


CONCLUSIONS
Data concerning the energy efficiency, technical characteristics and special mechanical properties of prostheses or prosthetic adaptations for sports, other than running, are scarce.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Centre for Rehabilitation, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.bragaru@umcg.nl
Mihai
M
Bragaru
Rienk
R
Dekker
Jan H B
JH
Geertzen
D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013177:Sports; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000601:surgery*