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  • Published
    14 Images

    Sport-Specific Prostheses Get Amputees in the Game

    A Florida man who lost his arm 11 years ago now knows what it’s like to swing a golf club just as good as a non-amputee player -- thanks to new technology.

  • Built Just for Golf
    Researchers at the University of South Florida are studying this one-of-a-kind, golf-specific prosthetic arm, which could allow amputees to hit the links again. It's the first in what the researchers hope will be a fascinating new field: sport-specific prosthetic limbs, attachments designed for mountain climbing, baseball and more. 
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    TRS Inc.
  • Oscar Pistorius
    Advances in technology have allowed some amputee athletes to perform at an extremely high level. South Africa's Oscar Pistorius competes in the men's 400 meter during the Palio della Quercia Games in Rovereto August 31, 2010. The runner, 23, made headlines two years ago after winning his battle to race with able-bodied athletes having previously been banned. 
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    Reuters
  • Alan Hines
    Alan Hines, a resident of Winter Haven, Fla., volunteered for a study at the University of South Florida, where researchers are determining the efficiency of two prosthetic devices that allow amputees to play golf with two arms -- one flesh and one prosthetic.
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    FoxNews
  • Father and Son
    Alan Hines and his 14-year-old son, Shane, look forward to playing golf together for the first time. “It’s going to be pretty cool,” Shane said.
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    FoxNews
  • A New Arm
    Hines’ right arm was amputated below the elbow after he suffered a powerful electrical shock while working for a power company in 1999.
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    FoxNews
  • Specialized Devices
    Researchers studied the Golf Pro (left) and the Eagle Golf TD (right) both built by TRS, Inc. in Boulder, Co. The Golf Pro’s extension gives amputees a wrist-like motion, while the Eagle Golf TD gives players a stronger grip on the golf club.
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    FoxNews
  • Reflective Markers
    Alan Hines wore 22 reflective markers while swinging so researchers could measure his speed and follow his weight through the swing.
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    FoxNews
  • To Pinpoint the Joint
    Jason Highsmith (right), assistant professor in the USF School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, said the markers helped researchers locate the center point of Hines’ joints, to assess his complete range of motion.
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    FoxNews
  • A Natural Fit
    Hines (center) felt most comfortable golfing with the Eagle Golf TD. Researchers gave Hines one for volunteering in the study.
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    FoxNews
  • A Prosthetic Arm
    When Hines isn’t playing golf, he wears a prosthetic arm (shown right). “I didn’t think I could play a sport,” Hines said.
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    FoxNews
  • Analyzing the Data
    The researchers used computer software, similar to that used to make video games, to create a digital reenactment of Alan Hines’ golf swing. Researchers have yet to analyze all the data but say amputees’ club head speed is slower than non-amputee players.
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    FoxNews
  • Testing the Swing
    Alan Hines said he was excited by the opportunity to volunteer in the study, and wanted to do anything he could to help. “It feels weird, because I have no control over my right,” he said after a post-test last week.
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    FoxNews
  • Finding His Groove
    "I didn't think I would do well,” Alan Hines said. But the golf prosthesis allowed him to swing with ease -- something the researchers were hoping for through the study.
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    FoxNews
  • Bob Radocy
    TRS Inc. offers a wide range of prosthetic devices that allow for a versatile spectrum of activities. Founder Bob Radocy, himself an upper body amputee, shows off his mountain-climbing skills despite having lost his left hand in an auto accident in 1971.
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    TRS Inc.
  • Published
    14 Images

    Sport-Specific Prostheses Get Amputees in the Game

    A Florida man who lost his arm 11 years ago now knows what it’s like to swing a golf club just as good as a non-amputee player -- thanks to new technology.

Move Forward
  • Sport-Specific Prostheses Get Amputees in the Game
  • Built Just for Golf
  • Oscar Pistorius
  • Alan Hines
  • Father and Son
  • A New Arm
  • Specialized Devices
  • Reflective Markers
  • To Pinpoint the Joint
  • A Natural Fit
  • A Prosthetic Arm
  • Analyzing the Data
  • Testing the Swing
  • Finding His Groove
  • Bob Radocy