Article

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.
Study Design: 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. Conclusion: Data concerning the energy efficiency, technical
characteristics and special mechanical properties of prostheses or prosthetic
adaptations for sports, other than running, are scarce. Clinical relevance An
overview of the peer reviewed literature will enable rehabilitation specialists
working with amputees to choose a prosthesis that best suits their patients'
expectations on the available scientific evidence. Identifying the information
gaps present in the peer reviewed literature will stimulate new research and
eventually broaden the base of scientific knowledge.

Langue : ANGLAIS