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

Bicycling
age caused by friction from the
pedals.
There is one essential rule for
the cyclist with lower limb amputation
to remember—he or she
must keep both hands on the handlebars
whenever exerting leg
power. When coasting, the hands
can be removed from the handlebars
without any problem . The
gear-shift lever should be positioned
so that one can grip the
handlebar with his or her palm
and outer two fingers, while the
other three fingers work the !evoru.The
individual with disability
will want to obtain the best touring
10-opeed gear system possible.
Even two-legged bike riders
need all 10 gears to adapt to hilly
terrain, so a one-legged biker
most certainly needs optimal
equipment.
For racing, conventional positioning
of the handlebars can be
uncomfortable because cyclists
with one leg operate in a push/pull
mode, requiring energetic arm use
and pounding up and down on the
seat. Some people prefer to sit in a
more upright position with their
torsos at approximately 60 degrees
to the horizontal rather than
in the classic bike-racing position
of 30 degrees. [)there prefer to
turn the racing handlebars upside
down . Standard nonracing hand!eborsare
adequate too.
Optional modifications also include
removing the unused pedal
and/or crank, turning the seat
slightly away from the good leg,
and padding the seat. Extra padding
is especially helpful because
one-legged bikers pu!l hard with
their uninvolved leg, and thus sit
hard upon the seat.
For competitive and distance
riding, friction between the residual
limb and the socket can be a
problem. Some people with amputation
choose to put a sheet of
Spenco 2nd Skin onto the residual
limb with a sock on top to hold it in
place. Available at athletic supply i
breathable
hydrogel, with 96 percent water
apercent polyethylene wa-
oxide,
SponooSkine*rveotoneoyo!e
friction between two moving surfaces
. For more information on
Spenco Skin, write to Howard
(Bud) Beloin, President, Spenco
Medical Corporation, RO . Box
2501, Waco, TX 76718, or call
Mr. Beloin at (817)772-800O or
(800) 433-3334.
Amputees with hip disarticulation
amputation may choose to
ride by placing their stomach on
the saddle, their sound leg on one
pedal, and the opposite hand on
the other pedal . Although this
sounds precarious, the rider can
oontrnl both the handlebars and
brakes with the hand on their
sound side . Speciel bicycling
shoes are helpful, as they provide
extra leverage on the upward portion
of the bicycling stroke . This
allows the amputee to ride by both
pushing and pulling with the
sound leg, rather than just pushing
as in normal bicycling.
For the child with an amputation
who does not wear prostheses at
all, a hand-propelled tricycle may
be the solution (Figs . 3a-3d) .
Figs. 3a, 3b, 3c, and adi Four views of a
hand-powered, hand-controlled tricycle
modified from a regular tricycle . (Photos
courtesy of R .J . Reynolds Tobacco co.)
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