His achievements also left the German Athletics Federation with a quandary. The winner of the trials would have normally been an automatic pick for the European Championships in Zurich.
But they decided against selecting the blade-jumper for the able-bodied championship, saying they had doubts over whether jumps with a prosthetic limb could be compared to those using a natural joint.
Experts have questioned whether the blade gives Rehm an advantage when he plants it at the point of take-off.
While he is diplomatic about the decision to omit him from the German team, he told BBC Sport that he does not believe he benefits from his blade.
“I don’t like this idea of a catapult effect at take-off,” he said. “If it was so easy to jump with a prosthetic, everyone would just get one and a few days later, they’d be jumping seven metres. I don’t think that’s fair – and it’s not true.”
Rehm argues that if there is a small benefit on take-off, it is balanced by a disadvantage during the run-up. He now wants more testing to prove that he does not get an unfair advantage from the blade.
The debate echoes the one involving South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius six years ago. He was eventually allowed to run in able-bodied competitions – including the London Olympics – but only after a lengthy process of scientific tests and appeals.
