Researchers at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, recently took to the links to help amputee golfers improve their game. Scientists at the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences invited a group of amputee golfers to Tampa Palms Country Club, Florida, so they could assess the players’ swings and observe gait patterns as they walked up and down the course’s hills. They also listened in on conversations to learn more about the golfers’ challenges. For their participation, the players received coaching from pros and tips from prosthetic researchers to improve their game and make better use of their prostheses, according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times.
M. Jason Highsmith, PT, DPT, CP, FAAOP, an assistant professor at the USF School of Physical Therapy, said that researchers at USF study new devices and what’s on the market to make sure that what works in the lab works in real life. The goal is “to come up with the best device for all activities of daily living and recreation,” he was quoted as saying.
Highsmith’s colleague Jason Kahle, CPO, FAAOP, said it was useful, for instance, to learn that some transfemoral amputees had a hard time locking their artificial knees so they can transfer their body weight while swinging a golf club.
“What if I could change a computer program for a microprocessor knee so the knee would lock only while playing golf? That would be something worth researching,” Kahle said. “We’re always gathering ideas for the next
venture….”
Editor’s note: This story has been adapted from materials provided by the St. Petersburg Times.
