Development of instrumented running prosthetic feet for the collection of track loads on elite athletes

Knowledge of loads acting on running specific prostheses (RSP), and in particular on running prosthetic feet (RPF), is crucial for evaluating athletes’ technique, designing safe feet, and biomechanical modelling. The aim of this work was to develop a J-shaped and a C-shaped wearable instrumented running prosthetic foot (iRPF) starting from commercial RPF, suitable for load data collection on the track. The sensing elements are strain gauge bridges mounted on the foot in a configuration that allows decoupling loads parallel and normal to the socket-foot clamp during the stance phase. The system records data on lightweight athlete-worn loggers and transmits them via Wi-Fi to a base station for real-time monitoring. iRPF calibration procedure and static and dynamic validation of predicted ground-reaction forces against those measured by a force platform embedded in the track are reported. The potential application of this wearable system in estimating determinants of sprint performance is presented.