Replies to Running with Coyote Lock

Replies to Running with Coyote Lock

Amy Rosetta Warren

3/3/2016

Thank you very much for all the responses. I have listed them all below but
more info on my patient. He received a prosthesis last fall with Fillauer
All Pro, Coyote Airlock, expulsion valve and a sleeve. This was intended
to be used for cross fit and running but of course he broke the foot and he
never used the sleeve so that was my main concern. I have spoken with him
and we are making a compromise. We will do the same set up as long as he
promises to take the 5 seconds to roll the sleeve up for the running
prosthesis! Thanks again for all the help.

The consensus was to use the Coyote Airlock with expulsion valve and sleeve.

** I tend to be with you. The pin liner causes distal constriction and the
leg is forcibly pulled up during running. Maybe you could supplement it
with a passive vacuum in the lock or the interface to help with suspension?*


* * My only question is if you are referring to the Summit/Proximal Lock or
Airlock when you say coyote lock. If it’s the latter I can refer you to
Ronnie Dickson who is a practitioner at P & O Associates, they are
currently doing new legs for a bilateral sprinter. If you mean the
Summit/Proximal Lock, I can certainly answer that, as a triathlon world
champion, and wearer I can say they work great. *

** I like the coyote lock because it is air tight. You can add a sleeve
and a one way valve and you have the best of both worlds. I have a few
active people (not necessarily runners) who are using this combo.*

** For running it shouldn't be the only suspension. I would also use a
sleeve. I went to the coyote cert course and learned that one of the
company owners, Matt, is an amputee and triathlon runner. He used the lock
for that. Their clinical practice boasts many active amputees. You could
call coyote and ask their experience.*

** Locks by themselves are not the best. I've used Coyote and Bulldog locks
with running and active prostheses but always with a suspension sleeve.
Sleeves like Alpha from Ohio Willow Wood, Alps, and ESP, for example.
Always a little stiffer than the plain silicone sleeves. If the fit is a
good TSB you can have excellent success with the setup.*

**If you can't convince the patient yourself, put him in touch with another
active amputee runner. Virtually every amputee runner that I know prefers a
PTB socket with sleeve suspension. Especially the very competitive runners.
Let another amputee fight your battle for you, and see if they can dissuade
your patient from making a big mistake (and dragging you along for the
ride).*

** Running with pin lock only, I feel, is not a good idea. The distal pull
of the liner is amplified by frequency and force during running. I also
feel that any sweating under the liner could lead to increased pistoning
with all it's associated issues. I think a Coyote lock with a sealing
sleeve would be fine. That said: I like the Coyote locks. They seem to be
a good product. I've only seen one or two issues of excess wear. The
engineers at Coyote Design say they now have a more durable plastic
mechanism to minimize this. But, I'd still be reluctant to use a plastic
shuttle/plastic pin or plastic shuttle/metal pin combo. If someone were
really dead-set on pin only running suspension, I'd consider a metal pin
with metal clutch lock.*

** The coyote lock has is also an air lock. Add a knee sleeve then you
have suction suspension with a pin for back up.*


Amy Rosetta Warren, CPO, LPO

Muilenburg Prosthetics
3900 LaBranch
Houston, TX 77004
Phone: 713-524-3949 ext 111
Fax: 713-524-3915