The weakness of stump musculature is one of the causes of abnormal prosthetic gaits. The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of hip joint musculature and the factors influencing gait speed for both unilateral above-knee amputees and healthy males in order of provide guidelines for the rehabilitation of amputees.

One group of twenty normal, untrained healthy males and a second group of 11 traumatic unilateral above-knee male amputees with no significant intergroup difference in ate, weight and height participated in the study.

An isokinetic test of hip adductors, adductors, flexors, and extensors was performed at an angular velocity of 30⁗/sec, using an isokinetic dynamometer, Cybex 340. And the comforable and fast gait time for walking 10 meters, stump and thigh length, and the ratio of weight to maximal leaning weight, were measured.

The ratio weight to maximal leaning weight was 86.4% in normals, 85.9% on the sound side of amputees, and 70.2% on amputated side of amputees. All showed a significant difference, In amputees, the peak isokinetic torque values for hip musculature were significant lower than the normal, but no significant difference in ratios of extensor to flexor strength nor that of abductor to adductor strength was found. Comfortable gait time was 13.4 sec in amputees, 8.2 sec in normals, and the fast gait time in amputees was 10.4 sec. In the normal, gait time did not have significant correlation with peak torque, thigh length, or the ratio of weight to maximal leaning weight, In the amputee group, however, gait times were found to correlate significantly with peak torque, stump length, and the ratio of weight to maximal leaning weight.

According to the above results, a strengthening program of bilateral hip joint musculature and balance training can ba considered necessary in a rehabilitation program for amputees.