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Design Choices
Design Choices
The first rendition of the Running Blade, called the Flex-Foot. This design aims to return potential energy captured by the leg hitting the ground, a biological human leg does while running. The Flex-Foot was able to return 93% of potential energy collected, as opposed to the biological 249% of energy, through the use of material and the L shape of the design (Lacke, 2020). The Flex-Foot can be seen on the far left of the image at the bottom of the page. The Flex-Foot, as well as modern running blades, are designed with 100% carbon fiber, arranged in 30-90 thin layers fused together, according to the National Paralympic Heritage Trust.
Customization
Customization
Because each runner and each runner's needs are different, the blade must be designed or customized for each user. For example, sprinters often need a stiffer, larger plate to act as a leg, while long distance runners need softer, potentially smaller plates to soften the impact over longer periods of running. In addition, athletes who only have lost one leg versus those who have lost both will have different needs for their running blades.
Diagram measuring alignment (blue) of prosthetic using ground reaction force (red) (Beck, 2016).
Evolution
Evolution
With time and research, running blades have become much more effective and have allowed amputee runners to achieve great things. The design has shifted away from the L-shape toward a J-shape for sprinters and a C-shape for distance runners. This is because the L-shape considered the heel, which is not actually used during running, so over time the design has been rounded out. What has remained the same over time, is the focus on developing these legs using physics, the same way our body uses physics to propel us forward.
"No bionics.
No electronics.
No magnetics.
It’s physics."
Statement from Össur, a leading company in Running Blade development ("The Science of...", 2024).
Evolution of Prosthetics (Lacke, 2020)
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