mechanics oscar running blades mechanics running blades depend special carbon fiber reinforced double knee competes able bodied athletics events eligibility run international able bodied events sanctioned began running rugby knee injury led rehabilitation high performance centre coach racing blades fitted south african unable find suitable running blades ordered local engineer quickly broke referred american paralympic fitted carbon blades company participation able bodied international competitions raised questions use running blades amended rules ban use technical device incorporates springs wheels element provides user advantage athlete device initial studies ruled ineligible competitions rules research presented ruled running shown provide net competitive advantage biological legs qualified competed olympic games paralympic games running blades run olympic games athletics blades meaning replace legs feet knee developed medical engineer incorporated inc sold company blades designed store energy like spring allowing jump run effectively carbon actually carbon fiber reinforced strong light weight material number applications including sporting goods like baseball bats car parts helmets equipment high strength weight ratio important equipment normally depending application reinforcing included blade manufacturing process sheets material cut square sheets pressed form produce final shape sheets layered depending expected weight athlete mold fuse sheets solid plate method reduces air bubbles cause breaks result cooled cut shape blades finished blade carbon intimate fit legs custom bulk total cost assessment setting finished limb costs usd blades born feet legs halfway knee ankle wear prosthetic legs wears pads visible reduce prevent fit uses custom spike pads blades development pads spikes changed surface applying counter spikes hand results method inconsistent research conducted iceland lab pressure sensitive film measure blade strike produced spike pad includes machine pieces foam different impact carbon plate developers attached pad contact cement quickly removed application heat spike pad needs changed curved design blades slightly longer runner biological leg foot blades replace ankle elastic compression bends releases blade stride blade leaves user standing designed forward heel support according bounce accord impossible stand difficult slowly going extremely hard control blades work applied run able bodied track meets accepted questions quickly arose blades unfair advantage initial research showed blades provide advantage changed rules ban use technical devices provide advantage ruled ineligible compete challenged ruling additional research reinstated meaning continue run able bodied meets long uses equipment studied research performance early able bodied races raised questions major concerns pattern running races leg swing times spring blocks fastest time slow race progresses ran negative split starting slowly building speed half race longer uses pattern average time race compared runners controversy use blades research provided considerable information work application research expected follow able bodied return energy supplied knees additional work associated muscles analysis published magazine estimates blades generate twice power muscles normal sources credit core abdominal muscles faster arm swing trainer estimates percent power comes rest knees results slightly swings upper body balance action blades blades weight release moves forward providing forward thrust tips return shape spring swings slightly throws forward stride slow starting race flexible blades provide thrust blocks begin awkward position swing leg outside pop straight blocks begin running preferred method push horizontal force meters race keeps head takes short quick establishes rhythm raise head increase speed runners losing energy directs energy forward looking somewhat like rolling wheels adjustments turns breaking curves short straight lines according coach able use inward lean generate force come turn going faster research study resolve questions blades asked series scientific tests november professor technical expert days tests reported percent energy expenditure able bodied athletes achieved given speed study found showed major differences sprint mechanics significantly different maximum vertical ground return forces positive work returned energy close times higher human ankle energy loss blade stance phase foot ground measured percent normal ankle joint measured percent showing difference percent analysis stated blades allowed lower energy consumption speed energy loss blade significantly human ankle maximum speed december year stated die newspaper considerable advantages athletes prosthetic limbs tested percentage points expect clear study published later researchers stated analysis consideration commentators argued study accurately determine net advantage measuring net advantage disadvantage conferred athlete possible given current scientific knowledge second study measured performance appropriate controls able bodied athletes run meter races similar times controls relatively new sport running trained maximize physical potential reach peak performance study conducted march approximately months study conducted coach commented trained achieve upper body upper bodies elite obtain accurate understanding affect performance compared athletes similar physical potential consequently study flawed compared physical potential run faster current times athletes peak study team seven researchers conducted tests including team collected mechanical data indirect ground reaction force measurements performance constant speed level running found energy usage percent lower average values elite able bodied distance runners percent lower average distance runners percent lower able bodied sprint runners speeds produced longer foot ground contact times shorter leg swing times lower average vertical forces able bodied team concluded running blades appears similar different running biological legs study published months later inconsistencies finding study study attributed differences study study blades found elastic energy return percent biological legs provide percent return stated reduce force apply ground runs reducing ability propel forward shape blade foot longer human foot providing contact point away axis rotation real foot allow greater generation identical force applied quality blades unable exert force able bodied runner push ground stated rate energy consumption lower average person comparable high caliber athletes blade compared muscle bone allow blade runners swing legs faster able bodied runners comments article noted study found positioned legs percent faster world record allowing percent increase sprint speed study research team including conducted follow study single running blades published biology letters affected leg performance compared biological leg team measured leg swing times force applied running surface high speed studied video sprint runners olympics paralympics found difference leg swing times different speeds recorded leg swing times similar able bodied found single running blades reduced foot ground force production tested runners average percent force production generally considered significant factor running speed researchers concluded reduction force limited speed found typically increased leg swing times compensate lack force discussion discussion continues relative advantage disadvantage blades researchers analysts point research studies level stationary measure performance starting blocks actual curved tracks account differences physiology non factors blade height weight differences blood circulation patterns history limb loss paralympics controversy effects running blade length arose paralympic games brazilian runner usa runner changed longer running blades months paralympic games led marked improvement running times complained race blades provided artificially lengthened running infringement rules regardless blades height limits athletes concerned complaint supported single leg runners including called double blade single blade classes separated future events single blade runners unable adjust height match length biological leg running blade improvement running time wide broadcast race results provided public demonstration blade length affects performance stride length actually percent longer took combination stride length stride rate led clearly unusual performance longer blades management issued statement saying meters tall regardless wears decision maintain height running blades issue
Mechanics of Oscar Pistorius' running blades