Do high-tech leg prostheses put athletes at an advantage or disadvantage? The question has been a controversial one since South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee athlete to compete in the Olympics.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has banned the use of “running-specific leg prostheses” (RSPs) in non-amputee track and field competitions. And German long-jumper Markus Rehm was prohibited from competing in the Olympic games in Rio due to assumptions his prosthetic gave him an advantage.
“Understanding how use of RSPs effects performance is paramount to decisions of inclusion or exclusion in sport,” says Integrative Physiology Professor Alena Grabowski, a leading researcher in the field.
What: Grabowski will present a series of studies assessing the biomechanics and metabolic effects of running-specific leg prostheses
Where: Champions Center Auditorium, third floor
When: Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
