Sports and Recreation for Those with Lower Limb Amputation or ...
Sports and Recreation for Those with Lower Limb Amputation or ...
Sports and Recreation for Those with Lower Limb Amputation or ...
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Mountain v~'~~mm<br />
Climbing<br />
a 12-inch basket might be attached<br />
near its lower end . Leather (vvato p<br />
proofed by dipping it into plastic)<br />
together <strong>with</strong> Dacron webbing<br />
provide the basket <strong>with</strong> a desirable<br />
20 to 25 degree swivel motion.<br />
Also, a synthetic material<br />
simulating amal skin can be attached<br />
to the bottom of the basket<br />
to keep it from sliding in the snow.<br />
The ends of the crutches are<br />
adapted <strong>with</strong> removable ice points<br />
that extend approximately 12 .7<br />
centimeters (5 inches) below the<br />
basket. When not in use, the ice<br />
points can easily be removed, <strong>and</strong><br />
conventional crutch tips can be<br />
attached in their place.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e in<strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>mation on this<br />
crutch, contact:<br />
~Lundbergn<br />
c/o Lloyd A . Stewart, C .R<br />
1000 Broadway at Madison<br />
Seattle, WA 98122<br />
(206) 323-1106<br />
Fig . 30b. Note the use of the helmet in climbing . (Photo courtesy of Everest & Jennings)<br />
Various modifications to manufactured<br />
assistive equipment<br />
might be considered as well . F<strong>or</strong><br />
example, in <strong>or</strong>der to facilitate Don<br />
Bennett's famous climb of Mt . Rainier,<br />
which is 4267 .2 meters<br />
(14,000 feet) high, a pair of <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>earm<br />
crutches were modified (Fig.<br />
31) . Other climbers interested in<br />
this modification can take two regular<br />
adjustable <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>earm crutches<br />
<strong>and</strong> pad the cuffs <strong>with</strong> 1/4-inch<br />
Plastazote to help abs<strong>or</strong>b the <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>ce<br />
transmitted through them . The<br />
h<strong>and</strong>grips are also cushioned, using<br />
somewhat thicker Plastazote,<br />
this time of 3/4 inch width.<br />
On long outings, the use ofadjustable<br />
crutches are ideal, allowing<br />
the climber to sh<strong>or</strong>ten the uphi/!<strong>or</strong>utohond/ungth*nthedownhill<br />
crutch . As a precaution against<br />
the crutches' sinking into the snow,<br />
Fig . 31 . Don Bennett on Mt . Rainier. (Photo<br />
courtesy of Don Bennett)<br />
The <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>earm crutch has since<br />
been modified by Drew Hittenberger,<br />
C .R, of the VA's Prosthetics Research<br />
Study in Seattle to facilitate<br />
Sarah Doherty's ascent of Mount<br />
Rainier. Doherty (a hemi-pelvectomy<br />
amputee) is the first woman<br />
<strong>with</strong> an amputation to climb<br />
Mount Rainier, a feat which she<br />
accomplished in August 1984.<br />
During training <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong> this event, she<br />
found her crutches too heavy <strong>and</strong><br />
cumbersome . M<strong>or</strong>eover, because<br />
of their flat surface, the 12-inch<br />
basket would quickly fill <strong>with</strong><br />
snow <strong>and</strong> become increasingly<br />
heavy, causing fatigue . To c<strong>or</strong>rect<br />
this problem, Hittenberger rodenignedthe<br />
basket-like tips, creating<br />
a convex upper surface.<br />
Spikes were then added to the tips<br />
so that they would function as<br />
crampons (the spikes that climbers<br />
wear on their boots <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong> traction<br />
on snow <strong>and</strong> ice) . In addition, a<br />
modified "ice pick" was permanently<br />
attached to one of the <strong>f<strong>or</strong></strong>e-<br />
30
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