Blade Runners cap the maximum fall damage at 96 health points or 9.6 health segments. Without the Blade Runners, the fall damage is capped at 97 instead.

Buying a prosthesis isn’t cheap. That price doubles if you need a second one, or is slightly more if you want a running blade.Join Runner’s World+ today for exclusive access to training advice, nutrition tips, and the latest news! The Basics of a Prosthetic Leg 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! As a general rule, a blade which is designed for sprinting is generally longer than those designed for marathons due to the extra force exerted while sprinting. Once accepted, you are asked to come into Nashville for about a week to be fitted and test out what you might want to do with your prosthesis. Also, thanks to partnerships with a Nike store that closed and donated the shoes to ABR, and the local Fleet Feet store, recipients also receive a single shoe without having to pay for both—a single-leg amputee only needs one. I hope that more people have the opportunity to have a running blade, as I would completely feel lost without mine.

That’s what drew Southard to the nonprofit. He was first introduced to ABR when he worked at a vascular surgery group that performed amputations in Nashville. Then, he did a Ragnar Relay with Fann and a few other amputees and became sold on the program. Because kids often come in and grow out of their prosthetics, they offer continual support and assistance as they get older or need maintenance. I’m not an amputee, but I’m constantly in awe of what people can do,” Southard said. “That’s why we want to do anything we can to help people be the best that they can be and help them get to where they never thought they could be.” Other options to try is to rub your stump full of heavy-duty antiperspirant in the evening before you go to bed. I’ve tried this, and it helped with the sweating, but the deodorant irritated my skin. I know some amputees who have had Botox injections into their stump as well. How Do You Handle Rubbing, Chafing, and Blisters?

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This makes access to an active lifestyle a challenge during the developmental years. It also challenges adults who face amputations from being able to play sports or do something as simple as walk through a grocery store parking lot. Since the 2012 Paralympics, running blades have been put into the spotlight, with people now able to recognise what they are used for. With more and more people being offered or exploring the opportunity to run with a running blade, I thought I would explore the facts. Are there different types? When would you use one? What’s the grip like?…all will be answered!

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.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! I use this as my walking foot. You could also use this as a running foot if you wanted to. I use this foot to power hike, which is part of my training for ultramarathons. To make things a bit more interesting, let’s throw in a prosthetic leg. Now you need to think of a whole bunch of other things to keep you going, and unfortunately there isn’t a lot of information available for amputee runners. It also increases jump height to 8m and jump length to 40m (on the first slide jump) respectively 48m (on subsequent slide jumps). That independence is treasured for anyone, so a nonprofit in Nashville known as Amputee Blade Runners (ABR) is working to remedy that for amputees of all ages and interests around the country.

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! Run straight ahead → perform a crouch-jump → at the last moment before hitting the ground while still in the air crouch again to activate sliding on landing and immediately jump again.For most blades, you can’t actually walk on them as well as run. This has to do with the length of a running blade. This foot seems to be a popular choice among amputee athletes. It comes with great tread, and the Ossur brand has been around for a long time, so it’s a trusted brand. I did test out this foot, and I found it heavier than the Fillauer Obsidian—it just didn’t move with me as well as the Fillauer foot did. More on Liners