Adjustments in gait symmetry with walking speed in trans-femoral and trans-tibial amputees

The effect of increased walking speed on temporal and loading asymmetry was investigated in highly active-trans-femoral and trans-tibial amputees. With increasing walking speed, temporal gait variables reduced in duration, particularly on the prosthetic limb, while vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) increased in magnitude, particularly on the intact limb. Thus temporal asymmetry reduced and loading asymmetry increased with walking speed. The greater force on the intact limb may reflect the method by which the amputees achieve greater temporal symmetry in order to walk fast, and could possibly account for greater instances of joint degeneration in the intact limb reported in the literature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.