Amputee Wins Heartland 100

[cameron]

http://www.ultrarunning.com/ultra/features/news/amputee-wins-heartland-10.shtml

soliciting opinions...unfair advantage?  non-issue?

[Ed]

How good of a runner was she before the amputation?

There are both advantages and disadvantages with a prosthesis -

[sueruns]

I would think below the knee could definitely be an advantage with a good prosthetic, if a person is one leg dominate and only land on one leg really, ...that could be an advantage, no??   Just about ever other scenario, I'd think is a disadvantage, double below the knee,  above the knee would have to be really tough

[Ryan]

Well, after the Oscar Pistorius stories, we know that those spring-like lower leg prosthetics are in fact an advantage. I'd imagine even moreso for an endurance event, where the prosthetics don't experience muscle fatigue, potential cramping, etc. that others would have to deal with. Of course, without study, we wouldn't know the difference between the advantage of such devices in sprinting and in extreme endurance events.

[Ed]

What about the location that the prosthetic attaches to the body?  That has to be very uncomforatble and cause many problems that non-amputees never experience - especially in endurance events.

[Ryan]

Indeed, that's one thing any potential study would probably need to take into account. Of course, with different pain tolerances, this could vary greatly from one individual to the next.

I've obviously never had the opportunity to try one out (and honestly hope I never will) but I've been told that the modern, high tech prosthetics are quite comfortable. Of course, that might be a relative measure. Quite a bit more comfortable than a block of wood attached to your leg?

[Rachel]

When I was in college, I always used to say to my orthopedic surgeon something to the effect of just take the (left) leg off above the knee, then you won't have to do surgery on the knee anymore, and I won't be in pain from that anymore (been through 3 knee scopes; 2 on left knee and 1 on right knee, all b/c of bilateral medial meniscus tears). I'm not sure bio-mechanically how any of that would work. Whether it makes me faster or not than pre-amputation wouldn't concern me as much as regaining the ability to run again in less pain (or maybe even without pain) than before. In 2009, I was able to run a total of 2 days for a grand total of 4-5 miles (and the 2 days were about 2 weeks apart).

Of course, in this day and age, good luck getting insurance to pay for that of which I'm sure is quite expensive (when 2010 starts, due to my disability status, I'll be Medicare/Medicaid. I only mention the disability b/c anyone here that knows me knows I'm still under 30 y/o).

Rachel

[Ryan]

Rachel, sorry for the bad luck. I obviously saw this after replying to your other post. Obviously, nobody would wish to lose their legs but your thoughts make it very clear how frustrating this experience has been for you.

[sueruns]

When I was in college, I always used to say to my orthopedic surgeon something to the effect of just take the (left) leg off above the knee, then you won't have to do surgery on the knee anymore, and I won't be in pain from that anymore (been through 3 knee scopes; 2 on left knee and 1 on right knee, all b/c of bilateral medial meniscus tears). I'm not sure bio-mechanically how any of that would work. Whether it makes me faster or not than pre-amputation wouldn't concern me as much as regaining the ability to run again in less pain (or maybe even without pain) than before. In 2009, I was able to run a total of 2 days for a grand total of 4-5 miles (and the 2 days were about 2 weeks apart).

Of course, in this day and age, good luck getting insurance to pay for that of which I'm sure is quite expensive (when 2010 starts, due to my disability status, I'll be Medicare/Medicaid. I only mention the disability b/c anyone here that knows me knows I'm still under 30 y/o).

Rachel

Amputation is cheap, if you really 'want' it i'm sure insurance would gladly remove your limbs rather than repeated surgeries if it's cost effictive to them, be happy that you have that option

[oldcolonial]

When I was in college, I always used to say to my orthopedic surgeon something to the effect of just take the (left) leg off above the knee, then you won't have to do surgery on the knee anymore, and I won't be in pain from that anymore (been through 3 knee scopes; 2 on left knee and 1 on right knee, all b/c of bilateral medial meniscus tears). I'm not sure bio-mechanically how any of that would work. Whether it makes me faster or not than pre-amputation wouldn't concern me as much as regaining the ability to run again in less pain (or maybe even without pain) than before. In 2009, I was able to run a total of 2 days for a grand total of 4-5 miles (and the 2 days were about 2 weeks apart).

Of course, in this day and age, good luck getting insurance to pay for that of which I'm sure is quite expensive (when 2010 starts, due to my disability status, I'll be Medicare/Medicaid. I only mention the disability b/c anyone here that knows me knows I'm still under 30 y/o).

Rachel

Rachel;

Sorry to hear about your knee troubles.  I like you have had some as well.  Despite your disability, I would encourage you to keep working on improving the health of your knees and trying to find other activities that don't beat on your legs (swimming, bikes, XC ski, etc.). Over the years I have had a number of knee surgeries that I believe have improved my health (both mental and physical) by allowing me to continue to participate in an active lifestyle.  I am now deeply into my 40's (50 looms close on the horizon) and as I return to high school and college reunions or otherwise meet up with friends I have not seen in years, the differences between those of us that have stayed active and those that have not are striking.  Although the arrow of causality is not clear; is it able to be active causing health? or is being healthy allowing active?; it does obvious that the two are strongly related and our level of activity is the one of the two we have the ability to control directly.