The impact of lower-limb prosthetic limb use in international C4 track para-cycling

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken to ascertain any impact or significance of athletes within the C4 paracycling classification between those who use a lower-limb prostheses and those who do not. A statistical evaluation of event completion time was undertaken to assess C4 cyclists when competing at the World Championships and the Paralympic Games in the 1 km track time trial. The C4 athletes who utilize a prostheses consistently outperformed non-amputees in the C4 classification from 2011 to 2016 on a competition-to-competition basis. However, when the participations were grouped as a whole together and an identified outlier athlete was removed, it was then demonstrated that there was no statistical significance between those who required the use of a lower-limb prostheses to those that did not when either evaluated on a competition-by-competition or on an amputee and non-amputee group-by-group basis (p ≥ 0.05). As a result, this study proposes that those requiring the use of lower-limb prostheses are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged in the C4 classification category when competing in the 1 km time trial at this time. Implications for Rehabilitation This analysis indicates that at this time, there is no evidence to suggest that use of such technology is advantageous in this category or should be seen as controversial. The design of lower-limb prosthetic limb technology in cycling should continue to be developed and optimized unabated. This study begins to address the cited lack of peer-reviewed information regarding paracycling with limb absence available to practitioners.

Keywords: Cycling; performance enhancement; prostheses.