Athletic ability in the sport of amputee soccer

Individuals with amputation have the option to participate in an adaptive version of soccer known as amputee soccer. During this game field players use forearm crutches and one leg to control the ball; no prosthetics are allowed on the pitch. Little is known about the athletic ability needed to compete in competitive amputee soccer. Eight athletes with lower limb loss completed a20-metre sprint, aT-Test, the Edgren Side Shuffle Test (ESST), and timed single limb stance (SLS). On average, the 20m sprint test was completed with aspeed of 5.0 ± 0.5m/s, the T-Test in 12.6 ± 1.2s, 30.6 ± 1.9m was covered in the ESST, and all were able to maintain 60s on SLS. Results allow for a baseline of athletic ability to be identified from which training programmes can be developed and modified to improve performance for athletes in this high-level competitive sport.