Characteristics of scooting movement on the floor used by upper limbs in double lower leg amputees

Abstract

  The purpose of this study is to examine the movement characteristics of the upper limb supported floor scooting movement in bilateral lower extremity amputees. The subject was one adult male who had amputee bilateral lower extremity. The measurements were examined using 3D motion analysis and ground reaction force and electromyography. The following results were obtained. The proportion of flexion phase was significantly higher in spine flexion posture than in spine extension posture （p<0.05）. The maximum value of shoulder joint motion on the sagittal plane during the extension phase was significantly greater in the spinal extension posture than in the spinal flexion posture （p<0.05）. From floor reaction force data, the spinal flexion posture was the trend to push the upper extremities more strongly during movement than the spinal extension posture in the flexion phase, the rectus abdominis muscle activity was intentionally greater, and the biceps brachii muscle activity was intentionally lower in the spine extension posture than in the spine flexion posture （p<0.05）. Similar to previous studies, it was suggested that the spine extension posture is an efficient movement posture, and the spine flexion posture is a movement posture that loads the muscles of the upper limb girdle. However, since the weight of the lower limbs and the contact area with the floor were small due to the amputation of both lower legs, the spinal flexion posture was a posture that promoted speed and distance in one movement compared to the spinal extension posture.