The influence of traumatic transfemoral amputation on metabolic cost across walking speeds

Background:Recent literature indicates equivalent costs of walking can be achieved after a transtibial amputation when the individual is young, active, and/or has extensive access to rehabilitative care. It is unknown if a similar cohort with transfemoral amputation can also achieve lower metabolic costs of walking than previously reported.Objective:Compare metabolic cost in individuals with a transfemoral amputation to controls and to the literature across a range of walking speeds.Study design:Cross-sectional.Methods:A total of 14 individuals with a unilateral transfemoral amputation (27 ± 5 years, N = 4 mechanical knee, N = 10 microprocessor knee) and 14 able-bodied controls (26 ± 6 years) walked at self-selected and four standardized speeds. Heart rate, metabolic rate (mL O2/kg/min), metabolic cost (mL O2/kg/m), and rating of perceived exertion were calculated.Results:Self-selected speed was 8.6% slower in the transfemoral amputation group (p = 0.031). Across standardized speeds, both metabolic rate a...