The Problem

Background

When learning about prosthetics, the first consideration one should make is the feelings of the amputee and the prosthetic's impact in their lives. Without a true understanding of the advancement of modern prosthetics, it is easy to imagine a single or double leg amputee must live their life limping around, or being pushed in a wheelchair. Additionally, someone who has just become an amputee might feel despair in a loss of their ability to complete tasks and participate in physical activities they were able to do before.

However, the idea that an amputee can no longer do many of the athletic things they could do before is not necessarily the case. In fact, modern prosthetics are so advanced that for many amputees, walking can be restored to almost to the same level of use as someone who has both legs intact, especially with the use of a transtibial (below the knee) connection. Potentially even more surprising is that prosthetics that can restore the ability to run, all the way up to olympic speeds, such as the case of Oscar Pistorius, who competed as a double amputee in the 400 meter race at the Offical Olympics in 2012 (see the video on the right).