So it is true that his lungs supply O2 to fewer muscles but that also means that they are having to supply more O2 to those fewer muscles than everyone else.

why would that be the case? If he's missing, let's say 10% of the muscle mass of the next person, but with the same lung capacity, why would the reamining 90% muscle mass use up more o2 than the competitor next to him?
The carbon fiber acting as his calfs and ankles are mechanical, they do not use 02. Aren't they just using kinetic energy building up and down each time he puts his weight on them? Am i missing something?

This is an interesting topic that we might be able to keep politics out of….

He still has to create that kinetic energy, so the remaining 90% (im thinking its less than that, probably more like 75%) is having to make up the energy that his calf would have created. He is using the same amount of O2 as his neighbor but just in different muscles.

I don't think so. Imagine a complete clone of Oscar Pistorius, identical in every way with the exception he has legs, not carbon fiber blades. They are sprinting side x side. Let’s say the carbon fiber Oscar weights 180 lbs and the Oscar with human legs weights 200 lbs. Two things come to mind. 1) the carbon Oscar has less weight his thigh muscles have to carry; 20 lbs less. Less weight mean less work done which means less energy expended which means less o2 supply required to replenish energy supplies. 2) with 20 lbs less muscles to supply o2 to, his full sized lungs have excess capacity compared to regular Oscar. That excess o2 is available for other uses that regular Oscar does not have availalble. Again, all other things being equal, wouldn’t the blood supply of carbon fiber Oscar have more o2 capability?

If you have two motorcycles with identical engines, but one has been stripped of excess weight, wouldn’t the lighter motorcycle be both faster and use less fuel? Doesn’t the same thing apply with Oscar?

I’m trying to figure all this out without resorting to Google. Call it kitchen table engineering…

You actually make a good point about the weight loss. So if we take that into account I think his O2 use rate will be the same as his almost identical counterpart but his overall O2 used would be lower. I think?

The motorcycle comparison is poor because the weight lost on the bike wasn't contributing to the moving of the bike. In the case of the runner, his calf was. so if the advantage from the weight loss is counteracted equally by the need to compensate for the muscles not there, then the O2 use rate is the same but the overall O2 used is lower for the amputee. If the advantage from weight loss is greater than the compensation, then the O2 use rate goes down. Finally, if the advantage from weight loss is less than the need to compensate will cause the O2 use rate to go up and the overall O2 used to be greater as well. I guess we would have to know exactly what each factor was contributing.

I am guessing since he has been an amputee since 11 months old, he is pretty well adjusted by now and probably has similar O2 requirements as comparable athletes. Someone who is still coping with amputation would be different I am guessing.


I am no MD, this is all speculation of course.

The truth is in the workout regimen, not in the race ... so here I can imagine a scenario where the carbon oscar can work out harder and will never hurt his feet, toes, heel ... Remember 25% of all the bones in your body are in your feet (I think, 44 bones out of 206 if I recall), that is a lot of bones to get rid of that wont crop up with some dumb problem or another and hurt your training regimen.

How many times has one of us wrestled a motor out of a bike and screamed obscenities when we set it on our foot ...

I'd say a big advantage in training. Of course he is too good to be in the paralympics ... thus leaving him nowhere to compete where he's par with the rest of his field.

Cool.
Srinath.

He didnt win. If it was a substantial advantage, Id expect to see people "injuring" their lower legs & " Having to have them amputated".. Some people will go to any lengths to "win"..

Do they make a performance improvement for thingys yet.