Now if you try and imagine running on a trail, without being able to bend your ankle or twist your foot - that’s what running with a blade is like on uneven terrain. With my blade, because of the heel, I am actually okay with uneven terrain but I know lots of amputee runners don’t have the same luxury.
It takes a while to understand how the blade will move on different terrains and even when you’re used to it, you still need to be looking at the floor to understand which direction your blade will turn, when you step on a twig or rock.
Some running blades allow you to wear a shoe over the top but most don’t. Unfortunately, with those fancy trainers you just saved up to buy, you can only use one (unless you find another amputee with the opposite foot or donate them). If you can pop a trail shoe over the top of your blade, then grip shouldn’t be an issue. My blade has fantastic grip on the bottom, which lasts me for almost 1,000 miles whereas other blades grips may only last a couple of hundred miles - but then you can easily swap them out for a spiked bottom, for track running…the options are almost endless!
Which blade is the best?
I’m sure if there was a definitive answer to this question, other blades wouldn’t be on the market. But how do you know which blade is best for you is a different question. Prosthetists (the people who make the legs) are always the best to go to first. They are likely to know you individually and what you are capable of (or at least they have an idea). Some centres will have better relationships with prosthetics companies so choices could be limited with a certain organisation - there’s nothing stopping you from ‘shopping around’. Most centres will give you the opportunity to try a specific running blade for a few weeks to see if it suits your running style. If you aren’t keen on it, you probably won’t be motivated to go out running on it so try some more!
Are running blades regulated?
I’m sure a lot of us have heard about Oscar Pistorius’ court case (the running blade one, not the murderous one). There was a discussion as to whether having two running blades offered him a competitive advantage over able-bodied runners. Now although the rules only really matter with high-level competitions, there are strict rules within running blades. A competitor must not be seen to have a running blade which shows an “unrealistic enhancement of stride length". This only really counts when an athlete has two running blades because the length of both legs can be increased, giving an individual an advantageous stride length. Because of this, athletes are only allowed prosthetic limbs or feet that add a 3.5% margin to their estimated height.
The debates surrounding a competitive advantage really do continue but they also tend to only look at one race length, on a flat surface. The reality is that running with a running blade, outside of a running track is pretty tricky - skin blisters, the level of concentration required, sores, the inability to occasionally train due to pain/discomfort/ill fit of a prosthetic.
I have a running blade, is that it now?
For amputees who may have had their amputation quite a few years ago, they may require one socket every few years however for a very active or new amputee, they may require a new socket every 6 months. I have personally made my way through quite a few sockets in the last few years.
A blade, often made of carbon fibre, should last quite a while. I have run about 5,000 miles now and I am on my second running blade. Having said that, I normally run about 600+ miles a year through knee-high mud, through water obstacles and while climbing walls and cargo nets - my blade gets quite a beating!
Does it matter which trainers I use?
Although most people may think that having a blade that doesn’t need trainers doesn’t actually impact which trainers you can wear but it actually does! Because of the height difference, it’s important to always use a trainer with a consistent height. This means that my trail, speed and long-distance shoes all have the same step height - anything different and i’m completely thrown off!
How about uphill and downhill?
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