Sports and Recreation for Those with Lower Limb Amputation or ...

Golf ~~~~0~
The S .A .F .E. Foot
Some individuals with amputation
prefer not to wear golf shoes
with spikes as they tend to interfere
with rotation on the prosthetic
limb. Alternatively, this group generally
chooses to wear an ankle
unit such as the S .A .F .E. (atationorya1teohrnent
flexible endoskeletal)
Foot since it offers the oapebi!ityof
remaining flat on the ground
while teeing off (Fig. 19).
Manufactured by Campbell-
Childs, Phoenix, Oregon, the
S.A .F .E. Foot is designed to simulate
the shape and action of the
human foot, where movement is
dictated by articular surfaces and
ligamentous restrictions . The
S .A .F .E. Foot provides dorsiflexion-plantar
flexion, eversion-inversion,
pronation-supination,
and transverse rotation.
Forty-five people with amputation
participating in 1981 clinical
trials reported that the S .A.F .E.
Foot allowed a smoother gait and
was less fatiguing to wear than the
conventional walking prosthesis.
They also found the S .A .F .E . Foot
easily adaptable to irregular terrain.
Finally, they noted that this
prosthesis afforded a relatively
wide range of motion.
In addition to the findings of
those surveyed, prosthetists involved
in the clinical trials directly
noted that the S .A .F .E. Foot offered
users a smoother transition
from heel strike to foot flat to toeoff
in the stance phase of the gait
cycle. Prosthetists participating in
the subject trials also found that
the S .A.F.E. Foot necessitated fewer
adjustments in alignment than
conventional single-axis feet.
The Swivel Golf Shoe
If the individual with amputation
does not have a rotator built into
the prosthesis, or if he or she has
undergone a Symes amputation
Fie.19. The S .A .F .E . (stationary attachment flexible endoskeletal) Foot . (Photo by Bernice
Kegel)
(in which case a rotator cannot be
used), the Swivel Golf Shoe is an
alternative to consider (Fig. 20).
After experimenting with several
prototypes, the Swivel Golf
Shoe, a device which can be built
into a conventional golf shoe to
allow rotation, was developed by
Armand Viau and Cliff Chadderton
. Designed to facilitate the golf
swing and reduce strain on the
spine, the Swivel Golf Shoe can be
fabricated by the following stepby-step
(1) Obtain a quality golf shoe
with a genuine leather sole.
(2) Remove the cleats from the
sole, but leave the heel
cleats in place.
(3) Bore a hole of roughly 5
centimeters (2 inches) in diameter
in the leather sole at
approximately the rnoLata p
oo-pha!angea!joint.
(4) Cut a metal plate of 1 .58
centimeters (Y16 inch) to the
shape of the innersole,
from the toe to the !ongitudina!aruh.
(5) Weld the housing of the
bearing to the innersole so
that it extends through the
hole at the nnetataroo-phalangeal
joint .
Fig . 20 . Swivel golf shoe. (Photo courtesy
of War Amputations of Canada)
(6) Fasten metal innersole to
the leather sole with rivets.
(7) Cut two pieces of Celeron (a
Nylon-type material) of 5
centimeters (2 inches) in diameter,
i.e, ofe size compatible
with the thrust bearing
and to, in fact, fit inside
the thrust bearing housing.
(8) Weld three cleats to a 2.54
centimeter (1 inch) steel
washer of roughly 3 .17 millimeters
( 1/8 inch) in thickness
; one piece of the
Celeron is then riveted to
the steel washer.
(9) A stud of 7.9 millimeters
( 5/16 inch) is then fabricated,
preferably of very fine
thread.
(10) The stud is then inserted
into the hole in the rneto!
20