/Unitedbank
/Eedition
Photo courtesy of Andy Wong/Associated Press

Are high-tech prostheses fair?

Posted by
in Opinion
Wednesday, November 11. 2009
Comments (6)
This past week, another scientific study on running raised the issue of athletes with lower-leg amputations who use high-tech prosthetics having a bionic advantage in contests against ordinary competitors.

Please login or register to read the rest of this story.
Bookmark and Share
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)
#1 Anonymous on 11/10/09 at 04:50 PM
From the looks of that prosthetic in the image, it looks as if a person would have to try 100 times as hard as a person with a leg, to even balance him or herself; much less run!

I say if they have the willpower to do that, by ALL means let them compete! If someone with a "leg" protests then tell them to cut off their leg and get a replacement part, and see if they have as much will power.

Everyone can have the same equipment, so since there is no discrimination, I don't see a problem.
#2 Anonymous on 11/11/09 at 04:43 PM
I say if God took their leg in the first place, He didn't want them running.
#2.1 Anonymous on 11/12/09 at 09:59 AM
I guess God did not bless you with sense either. Poor thing!
#3 J.S. on 11/12/09 at 07:46 AM
I don't think that it is fair, not to say that the handicapped runners have it any easier. Like the poster above mentioned it takes a lot of skill and work to be able to get used to running with pro. legs. But technological advances give the edge to the person with the j-shaped springs attached to their legs. If they can monitor and have certain specs that assure that the handicapped runners don't have an unfair advantage, then sure they should be able to have mixed competitions, if not then it can never be considered a fair competition. I mean I've seen videos of pros. type "stilts" that are made for able-bodied adults and those people can run really fast and jump over 20ft in the air- that type of technology in competition is just an unfair advantage. Check out the videos on youtube, its pretty cool what these guys can do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq7g-pDZTng
#4 Psycho on 11/13/09 at 07:58 AM
I thought they had a Special Olympics for handicapped. Why are they racing with non-handicapped runners? Wouldn't that be fare?

I agree with J.S. on "I don't think that it is fair, not to say that the handicapped runners have it any easier". But they do have more of an edge when you do know how to use the carbon-fiber Cheetah Flex-Foot.
#5 Sheila Tolley on 11/15/09 at 08:18 PM
Define the technological edge and place them that far behind the start line. Or get over it! Look at the man's muscles. He has been working for this challenge.
Only registered users may comment on stories. Please login or register to post comments. Your browser must support cookies.
The author does not allow comments to this entry
Copyright © 2008-2011 The Herald-Gazette