Many athletes with disabilities face unique challenges at both professional and recreational levels, impacting their performance, accessibility, and overall experience in sports. One of the biggest issues is the lack of specialized equipment designed to meet their needs, making it difficult to compete on an equal playing field. Prosthetics, wheelchairs, and adaptive gear can be expensive and not always tailored for specific sports, limiting participation. Additionally, accessibility to training facilities remains a significant barrier, as many gyms and sports centers are not fully equipped to accommodate athletes with disabilities. Beyond physical challenges, there is also a social and psychological aspect—some athletes struggle with being taken seriously in their sport or face discrimination in professional leagues.

I am focusing on creating a prosthetic specifically designed to improve the cycling experience for disabled athletes. I would love to hear from athletes with disabilities about the specific issues they face, whether in accessing equipment, training facilities, or competing at different levels. Understanding these challenges directly from athletes will help ensure that the prosthetic I design is functional, effective, and truly meets their needs.

Hello LAK here,
I’ve been an above-knee amputee for about6 years now, and I was finally up for a new knee. Thinking I had a choice of components this time around my last 2 legs were c-leg3 setups with a running foot I think? I figured I might as well request a Genium X3 instead of a cleg4— either way its an insanely expensive request. My specialist didn’t seem opposed to the idea, but my prosthetist shot it down because there’s no part code to submit to Medicare requesting a Genium X3. Is it normal for Medicare to outright refuse to pay for a component? I am in the US. As a result, I’m just getting the exact same setup I was trying so hard to make lighter and struggle less.

Is it normal to give the illusion of choice to AK amputees? I feel like I’m stuck having to deal with a setup that’s too heavy to walk more than 3 miles in. I have a hard roof at 3 miles, as walking is pretty much the same effort as jogging.

Sorry to rant, but something feels off about not being able to look through and try out parts to figure out what’s optimal for my situation. (I’m a stroke survivor with weakness on my amputated side.) I’m trying to get something lighter than a C-Leg and drop 2 lbs from my 10 lb setup without compromising my safety. Either wau, Im stuck with whatever I end up getting, its frustrating that although I am up for a new prosthetic leg through insurance, nothong will change, it feels like the burdens just extended and my peoblems are static.

Hello,

We are a group of engineering students and as part of our project to create a company, we are focusing on the field of myoelectric prostheses.

Our approach is purely educational and non-profit. The goal of our project is to better understand the needs and expectations of healthcare professionals regarding these solutions, as well as their impact on patients. To enrich our research, we have developed a short questionnaire, and your expertise in this field would be incredibly valuable to us.

Here is the link to our form:

https://forms.gle/7MQEK7MdnE9mti9h6

Additionally, we have relied on existing work to deepen our understanding, particularly the study "Design and Implementation of a New Accessible Myoelectric Hand Prosthesis." Here is the link to this reference if you are interested:

https://theses.hal.science/tel-04412973v2/file/C_BUTIN.pdf

We thank you in advance for your participation and the time you will spend answering our questions. If you have any questions about our approach or would like to know more about our project, please feel free to contact us.

Thank you again for your help, which is essential to the success of our study!

Greetings fellow amputees!

I am visiting the states via plane in late march. from austria via Amsterdam to San Francisco. also visiting las vegas and manhattan. is there something i should take care in advance because i plan on travelling with my taska prosthetic arm? like could there be a reason why i maybe should travel without my prosthetic?

thanks in advance everyone

I am posting here to recieve feedback in hopes of continuing my project of 3d printing a prosthetic hand. The model is basically complete and is like any other model in that all digits fully articulate to grip.

The caveat is that I have not seen prosthetics made for above the wrist and below the elbow amputees. The electronic versions are expensive and I am finding ways to produce an electiec one for 50-100 dollars if not free and open source.

My mechanical version is made with the understanding that a prosthetic does not need to be a hand to be functional so will be several removable fittings, a limited hand that can grip or a Swiss army knife like tools appropriated for a given task like gardening.

If these were to be made open source and not for profit would anyone even want them or am I shooting darts? Thank you

ccupational therapists recommend laces-up shoes, but what if we used shoes with Velcro?

is that I can get ppl to sign it.

Blake Roman (Voice actor for Angel dust on hazbin hotel)

Erika Henningsen (VA for Charlie from Hazbin Hotel)

Joel Perez (VA for Valentino from Hazbin Hotel)

Benson Boone (singer/songwriter)

And even fricking Sabrina Carpenter

I have there signatures on my Prosthetic all in different colors

Thats one of my favorite things

Next is the Toddlers looking at me like this:😍 "A Robot!!"

I’m writing a dissertation project and I need participants for a survey researching user’s experiences with the lower limb prosthetic socket. Any help would be greatly appreciated, all information is anonymous and in-line with ethical guidelines. Looking forward to any responses, thanks!

https://forms.office.com/e/44Zx3NsHiL

My Prosthetist use a PreComp Socket as Pictured vs Carbon Fiber. I’m not having any issues but my question was… do these weigh more than Carbon Fiber ? Does the weight affect me if any being this high up ? Pros and Cons ? Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I’m a biomedical engineering undergrad student currently working on a design project to improve prosthetic sockets for leg amputees. Our goal is to better understand your experiences with current socket designs so we can address issues and create solutions that truly meet your needs.

I’d love to hear from you about:

• What you like about your current socket(s)
• What you don’t like or find uncomfortable/inconvenient
• Any specific challenges you face with fit, comfort, durability, or daily use
• Do you experience chafing while using your prosthetic socket? If so, how does it affect your daily activities or willingness to wear it?
• Have you ever experienced skin irritation, rashes, or discomfort from prolonged use of your socket?
• Features or improvements you wish existed
• Are there any activities or environments where your socket doesn’t perform well?
• Any advice or insights you think would help us design a better socket

Your experiences and feedback are really important to my team and I, and they’ll directly shape the direction of our project. We want to ensure that whatever we design considers the practical and emotional aspects of using a prosthetic.

Feel free to share as much or as little as you’d like in the comments or via DM. Every and any perspective helps, and we truly appreciate your time and insight.

Thank you so much in advance for your help!!

Also, if this post isn’t appropriate for this subreddit, please let me know or direct me to a better place to share.

Hello,

I am relatively new to being an amputee, as I had my left leg amputated below the knee in April. Since then, I’ve had two revision surgeries because the surgeon initially left non-dissolvable sutures inside my stump so I have only been wearing my prosthetic for 6 weeks but….

Currently, I’m experiencing issues with my knee, both inside the liner and with the suspension sleeve over it. It feels like my knee is being pulled downward with every step or while sitting, which is causing redness and irritation. We've tried using GlideWear patches, lotion, switching the type of sleeve and most recently, Cica gel on the top of my kneecap. However, the more layers I add, the worse the pulling sensation becomes and the less I can flex my knee. I am currently in a diagnostic socket with passive suspension and only needing 5 ply of sock.

Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I really wanted to love vacuum seal, but couldn't keep the suction - kept getting holes in my sleeve. Pin & lock has always been tried and true for me.
https://youtube.com/shorts/FKab-mC1Gm8?si=CrlcSEtudKXrxeid

Hey not sure if this is the right subreddit, but I’m curious if there are machines out that mix and pour plaster into molds, my company currently does it with a drill into buckets, which when we are dealing with 30+ molds a day can take up time, but there’s has to be a machine that can auto mix with augers and force through a hose into molds.

I recently got accepted into Northwestern University’s MPO program. My interest has been spiked by the MPO research program however and am thinking of switching into it. What are the benefits of this program compared to the standard MPO program and what kind of jobs are available with this degree? The more I think about it the more I can see myself interested in research over the clinical aspects of the job but I’m figuring it out.

Hey Guys! I had my Amputation Sept 2 2024 and have had my New Pin Lock Prosthetic for about 4 Weeks Now. I have noticed ALOT of Active AKAs in Suction or Vacuum and it seems easier... My Prosthetist stated that a Vacuum socket this early due to me losing volume over the first 12 Months would be a huge mistake as it would be a nightmare and probably wouldn't want to stay on.... I'm dealing with rotation and a slight bit of pistoning also. Does this sound right ? Anyone's Opinion ? Thanks

https://reddit.com/link/1i66dhk/video/3c9rtypgw8ee1/player

I am strongly considering going to study prosthetics and orthotics. I live in Belgium and wanted to know how the job opportunities there are concerning this career? Would I have trouble finding a job? I’m open to also becoming a technician in this field. What qualifications are better? I saw colleges close by with college degrees, but also programs for bachelors(university) etc further away. Would it be worth doing a bachelor and maybe even a master or is the advantage of having a bachelor over a college degree not high enough? What would the expected salary be in Belgium? And maybe even some questions I might not think or know to ask! I am very passionate about this, but if it is not a viable option for where I live I might have to rethink how I approach this. I hope someone can help me with this info and making an informed decision! Hope to hear from you guys!.

Hey Fellow Amps! I currently have a Cleg4 and Fillauer AllPro XTS Setup. I LOVE this setup. I have seen a few guys also running the Ottobock Challenger and raving about its energy return and being able to possibly run in this foot also ?. My question is... Will I really notice much of a difference or is it going to behave pretty similar to this foot ? Thank you!

https://preview.redd.it/aq3jn61lorde1.jpg?width=1329&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01b18ce28ff1917b8db7078a8744e99e9649a0f5

https://preview.redd.it/zz1sdqplorde1.jpg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da9fddd6fd77c9a1d3e7eb5e285d02e94d2e8833

Hi! I'm writing a character with a prosthetic arm and I want to be as accurate as possible. There are some things that I would like to know:

-Did you have to change prosthetics when you grew up?

-How do you feel about having one? Are there any negative thoughts you have towards them?

-What are some misconceptions about them that other people don't know/realize?

-What are the pros & cons? Do they make specific tasks difficult?

-Have you ever felt uncomfortable about what other people think of you? Do you get stares and/or weird questions?

I'd love to hear more if anyone wants to add. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, might be longish so I’ll keep it dense. I’ve recently been on a journey of designing and constructing my own facial prosthetic for a while now after being shot in the eye with an air-soft gun a few years back. Because of the complicated extent of the injury, I now require a solution for keeping my left eye covered during the daytime. After multiple iterations, a lot of troubleshooting and some refinement I’ve a product I’m satisfied with.

It’s custom fitted to my face from a few RTV silicone moulds and is very aesthetically favourable over any other alternative I could find online (to put into perspective my eye doc asked where I’d bought it from when I showed him lol). In fact as far as I can tell, what I’ve made isn’t even really a commercial concept despite making so much sense to me while designing. I think there’s always room for improvement, but I’ve managed to solve the numerous logistical issues that come with having a strapless eye patch stay attached to your face.

So now I ask, does anyone have any insight into any of this? Is it a concept other people with similar ailments would be interested in? Does it already exist and I just can’t find it? Any input is very welcome.

Also happy to provide more info/photos if anyone’s curious. Thanks!

Hello! I am in need of honest opinions. I am currently applying to MSPO programs and I got into University of Hartford's program. However, when I research more into this school it seems like it might not be a very good school to go to, but this is coming from opinions of undergraduates and former employees so not sure how I should weigh their opinions. Have any clinicians on here gone to UHart or are currently going to UHart for the MSPO program? Is it a good program? Do you feel supported and would you recommend it? Thanks in advance!

Hola soy protesista y fisioterapeuta, tengo la curiosidad de saber y que me cuenten historias graciosas o vergonzosas que hayan pasado por su prótesis. Al mismo tiempo espero me den autorización para leer y opinar en otras redes sociales! (Por el chismesito!) Un abrazo y vibra positiva!!

Has anyone tried this? Looks like they’re available in the US since last year.

https://youtu.be/ABX8UQCucDM?si=GATpznUuSfMJkpzB

Hi all,

I got a new leg before Christmas and the fit is great but I’m really struggling with the length. I’m having to put 2.5-3cm if insoles in my other shoe to balance myself out. I’m due to go back in for physio next week but do you think this can be reduced in length to get my gait back to normal? Thanks all!

I wanted to get others opinions on this system.  It's a system used to categorize prosthetic limb users based on their mobility and functional abilities. It's been around FOREVER! Do we think it's still relevant/accurate? Do we think otherwise?

Hi everyone,

I’d like to share information about our project at SickKids Hospital, in Toronto, Canada. We’re studying how eye conditions like strabismus, retinoblastoma, corneal anesthesia, and the use of prosthetic eyes affect daily life and appearance—especially for kids and teens.

We’re so close to making a big impact, but we need your help to reach our goal! We’re particularly looking for school-aged participants (8-18) who have had surgery for strabismus or corneal anesthesia, are retinoblastoma survivors, or wear a prosthetic eye. Adults with these conditions are also welcome to participate!

Participation is simple: it involves completing a 10-15 minute questionnaire twice over one week. Your voice can help improve how doctors understand and discuss these experiences with families, making care more patient-centered.

We’re currently at 40% of our recruitment goal, so every response truly makes a difference!

📋 Interested? Learn more and participate here: https://twitter.com/SickKidsNews/status/1796613852689285601

Thank you for helping us spotlight these important perspectives. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy new year!

Any practitioners out there that work 4 day work weeks? 4x10s. If so, what are the benefits you see in your clinic? I am putting together a proposal for my employers to allow us to try a 4 day work week.

Earlier this month, I got an invitation to interview for a spot in Baylor College of Medicine's O&P program. I'm crazy excited, but with the interview estimated to only be 20-25 minutes long, I'm not really sure what questions to expect. What was y'all's experience like? Even for the orientation/informal social, is there good way I should be preparing for it?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! :)

Edit: Thank you for everyone's words of advice so far!! It didn't occur to me till recently that there's going to be three interviews that day haha. Still excited but thank you again!!