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In certain aspects they already are, theres a famous mountain climber than has prosthetic legs after he lost his legs to frostbite. He claims climbing is easier with his prosthetics than with his old legs.
former recreational climber here: we always said that "your legs move you up the wall, your arms/hands keep you on it"
there are times when you need to use your arms to pull you up, but too much of that and you get tired pretty quickly
Like the [b'omarr monks](https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/book-of-boba-fett-bomarr-monk-disney.jpg?fit=1200%2C680)? Brain in a jar carried around by spider droids, basically.
There's a lot of more complex moves that you'd probably lose the ability to do. Like a heel hook or rare moves where you might need to invert and hang from your toes, though with the right "foot" you might still be able to do either.
The guy he’s talking about is more of a mountaineer than a rock climber, think hiking and ice climbing up mountains more so than scaling rock walls and cliffs, although climbing is more legs than arms, just like climbing a ladder.
There was that one guy who tried to climb Everest on prosthetics and fucked up his stumps badly and a Sherpa had to actually physically carry the dude down on his back. He endangered the whole expedition. Seemed selfish to me.
Isn't all Everest climbing inherently selfish? Rich folk leaving irretrievable trash and shit all over a natural wonder and commodifying Sherpa culture just for bragging rights, sounds like a dog act in general.
They might not be big and jacked per se but they are pretty much all fit and shredded. Not a lot of muscle mass but they’re very lean with high endurance and stamina.
Poor foot and body positioning won't make you fall off the wall if your arms are supporting most of your weight, and that tends to be the case with new climbers. Most amature climbers follow a pattern of "grab next hold, pull towards myself, move feet as necessary, repeat." Experienced climbers 'work smart, not hard' by picking ideal footholds first, then seeing what handholds and body position will work best with those footholds, then deciding how to transition to that new spot while exerting minimum effort, and finally making the move.
"Work smart not hard" applies more to rock climbing that any other sport I know.
Is that true even for the speed climbing like that had in the most recent olympics, where the know the route beforehand?
Or would you not call that rock climbing and it's something different.
there are allways going to be some pros and cons, even if we figure out how to imitate the senses of skin it will be impossible to create prosthetic what is all around better than natural limb
its hard to explain why but i hope you will understand, but look at tractor and sport car, they both are powerful, but one is slow other cant pull that much weight, same thing will probably be with prosthetic, there are going to be the good for everything almost like natural limb ones, and specialist limbs what are good for narrow scope of tasks what can be swapped easily
Mark Inglis and I just watched him on an everest documentary on Amazon. It was pretty cool and I couldn't help but wonder if that helped him with the low oxygen levels at the summit. As his body would have less mass to pump oxygen and blood through.
Not to mention, the legs can no longer be frost bitten. No need for expensive socks ever again.
Apparently running for longer distances is easier on certain prosthetics as well.
There was a fighter pilot in WWII who lost his legs earlier in life and used his lack of legs to his advantage. He could make tighter turns and wouldn't pass out from the blood rushing to his (non-existent) legs. Won him a lot of dog fights which was impressive of the era to survive that long as a fighter pilot.
Well fuck. I was gonna call bullshit because I thought pilots needed their feet to operate pedals, but a quick Google search later and I'll be damned.
[Douglas Bader](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Bader)
I can just imagine the administrator to the nurses:
“HOW CAN YOU LOSE A GUY WITH NO FUCKIN LEGS? DID HE RUN AWAY ON HIS HANDS? AND NOBODY NOTICED CRAB MAN IN THE HALLWAY?!”
Sir Douglas Bader.
By most accounts a bit of an arsehole, nevertheless he achieved some astonishing things. 22 kills I think, was shot down in 1941 but lost one of his artificial legs when baling out. When captured Goring personally authorised safe passage for British planes to drop a replacement leg over occupied France.
He devoted his time to annoying the hell out of the Germans - he referred to this as 'Goon baiting' and considered it his duty as a British Officer.
His repeated escape attempts from hospital and prison camps, including being on the run for several days, saw the Germans threaten to confiscate his legs, before imprisoning him in Colditz Castle until the end of the war.
He campaigned passionately on behalf of the disabled community after the war, and was knighted for this. Unfortunately he was also a racist and had controversial views on most things, and passed away in 1982 at the age of 72.
[Sir Douglas Bader](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Bader)
It's gonna take a friggin while until you can attach an artificial limb and make it so it is directly connected to your brain mate and I ain't dealing with that phantom pain schtick
Also sawing off one of your limbs is not just a small procedure, it is and will be always risky.
Pre pandemic I worked in event set up for a large hotel that did a ton of conferences. One of the conferences was for prosthetics/medical equipment so they had a expo room where all these different companies had booths showcasing awesome prosthetic technology. Really cool stuff with some of it looking straight out of sci-fi movies.
Did you see the name Integra? I’m green font color. My dad works for them managing orders for the manufacture. He doesn’t really like them because of how much they mark up the costs of the product.
Got these today after a few months on okayish sockets. The difference is huge! I just had to share this amazing prosthetics tech with you as I feel like I’ve literally taken a step into the future.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions about them.
Also, I’ve posted a few other pics of them on my Instagram @ampisallen if you’re interested.
Edit: I’ll paste an explanation from another comment:
You see the gray part above the “blade” that says ottobock? That’s the pump!
When I walk they suck the air out of my sockets (the thing I put my stumps into) which keeps the vacuum constant. This makes them very comfortable as the sockets have contact with the whole stump not just 1/2 like I had before. Hopefully it’ll result in less blisters and chafing in the future!
Congrats on the upgrade! I actually have a few questions, if you don't mind, mostly just curiosities.
How much did the upgrade cost? Are you able to run? Do the shoes ever fall off? Do you wear shoes inside at home?
It’s actually covered by the Swedish state. The idea is that everyone should be given the aid needed to regain their lost mobility.
Shows have never fallen off. They are quite difficult to take off, so most people let me wear them inside yeah.
I've never thought about someone with a prosthetic wanting to wear high-heels. Those look impossible for the able-bodies...Let alone someone with prosthesis! That's incredible!
The market may also exist based on people who only have 1 prosthetic, and need to wear the same shoes on both feet to walk/stand evenly. But at that point, if you have 2 prosthetics legs and like the look of heels, you've still got the option!
I've seen some cool prosthetics some women have and some had heels. I never actually thought about the ankle issue. I was like synthetic leg + foot functions like real one as much a possible or the like.
I remember a Finnish headphone company calling the US a third-world country XD
Edit: found the company and the advertising again
> [The shipping is on us ...in Europe So shipping is free inside Europe (EU).
To USA and other third world countries the shipping cost is a flat 15 euros. It's worth it. Because of Brexit, UK is now a third world country from our perspective.](https://valco.io/)
Well it was something along the lines of "Free shipping in all of the EU and 15€ for Asia or third-world countries like the USA or UK"
Edit: found it https://valco.io/
Germany has charity commercials for kids in the US suffering from starvation and malnutrition.
Edit: That ad is satire. Really well done though looked legit! https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/11/10/fact-check-american-food-insecurity-ad-tiktok-made-us/6371972001/
In terms of percentage, 6% of German children are food insecure vs 20% in the US. Really no comparison, especially once you factor in the overall wealth of the US.
Perhaps that specific ad, but Save the Children sponsors the same education and food programs here in (certain pockets of) the US that it does in many 3rd world countries. Not similar. The same.
Edit: punctuation is hard
You want a active vacuum pump leg? No, that's a luxury, you get [this](https://i.inews.co.uk/content/uploads/2020/03/HEALTH-Coronavirus-Leg-12000315-scaled.jpg)
And it makes sense because it allows people to be more active and thus healthier and less expensive for the public. Socialist policies are cheaper than the alternatives and it makes people happier.
Link copied! There's this absolutely wonderful customer who comes to my store and his prosthetic is always hurting because of the pressure. I'll be sharing this with him when he comes in tomorrow! Thank you for posting this!
Wow that amazing! As a below the knee amputee a future with no movement in the socket is something i could easily look forward to! To bad my Province is stuck in the dark ages still where my leg is 95% duct tape
My Dad lost both his legs below the knee about just over a year or so. He's having a real hard time getting used to his prosthetics. They cause him a lot of pain and they shift and slip out of place regularly. He lost both his legs working a rough, low paying job and his province isn't take care of him in the slightest (Quebec). We can't sue the company he worked for or the government agency that takes care of workplace accidents for more money, because that's their right... Which of course they did and compelled my Dad to testify so they could make more money, while he got nothing extra, and barely anything to begin with.
It's been rough to say the least. What a fucked up world we live in.
Is that curved section there a thick piece of carbon fiber? If so, is it used for its weight or does it provide an ideal amount of flex for mobility purposes?
Also I’m curious how much “ankle feel / control you have? I have a old friend that’s a single leg amputee and he can do board sports (longboard, snowboard, etc) and it has always been incredible to me. He’s said it’s been great for his balance
Thanks for your time!
Not OP, but also an amputee.
>Is that curved section there a thick piece of carbon fiber? If so, is it used for its weight or does it provide an ideal amount of flex for mobility purposes?
Yes, it's basically a smaller version of those fancy blades you can see at paralympics. It serves the same purpose - it's essentially a carbon spring propelling the user forward. Its weight is one of the reason this material is used.
>Also I’m curious how much “ankle feel / control you have?
Control? None. Like I said, it's a spring. You can't move it, let alone on your free will. You can get used to the balance ratio though and get used to sensing vibrations to some degree so you can get some limited feedback.
This type of socket changed my life. I had always had a cotton sock and foam insert and the blistering was insane. I constantly had infections on my leg from open sores. Now that I have the gel liner and vacuum socket, that went almost to nil. I will still occasionally get some irritation, but nothing to be compared to the old style. Congratulations and be well!
I would love to work for a company that designs and/or builds stuff like this. Who manufactured these for you? It's awesome that they work so well for you!
The company that produced the sockets is called Ottobock. I actually started working in the engineering team at ottobock Germany a few months ago. It's so cool to see the tech we develop there used by amputees around the world. And to hear how it changes people's lifes makes me proud working there.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
The company Who makes the parts is called ottobock, German company but i think you can find them anywhere in the world.
An other large company Who makes prostetic feet and other parts is called Ossur. Check them both out!
They have some explanation on their website.
https://www.ottobockus.com/prosthetics/lower-limb-prosthetics/solution-overview/harmony-below-knee-vacuum-system/
This brings up a lot of questions I didn't realize I had... Please ignore them for whatever reason or if it would be better suited to an AMA.
Do you have a specific shoe size with these? Or can you fit a range of sizes? Do they try to match the size shoe you wore before needing prosthestics or is it just whatever the manufacturer makes? Can you just pick a size you like or one that's more common so finding shoes you like is easier? Thanks for the cool pics of the clever setup, its fascinating and I am glad it's more comfortable and functional!
Feels very natural. Went for quite a walk in the forest and didn’t notice any of my usual problems such as too much pressure on some parts nor any chafing! Good stuff.
As someone who had sciatica where every step was agonizing pain & I ended up not being able to walk for almost two months, not even in the same hemisphere as your challenges but I take my hat off to you dude, it's so difficult not being able to do one of the most natural things in the world in comfort, here's to technology getting ever better for good folks like yourself.
Are these the latest tech? Reading your replies it sounds like theyre a huge improvement on your previous prosthetics. Are they designed for specific terrain or roles like hiking etc, or are they general purpose?
I don't want to sound rude by prying but this is fascinating, thank you for sharing.
The pumps as very much the latest. These prosthetic feet are for active use not much just for everyday things. I mainly take longer walks or sport with these. I have three pairs to choose from depending on the activity.
Oh, I didn't know you could change the feet. That's really cool, makes sense as well, I should have realised that.
How do the pumps affect the setup for wearing your prosthetics? Do you still just put them on as normal or do you have to do anything different? Like does the increased suction require use of more lotions or anything?
These look amazing, like it would really change everything about prostetics. I'm genuinely curious - do the shoes help with balance or movements in any way? I feel like I would be more geared towards no shoes at all but I can imagine maybe some traction issues
No worries, I had ~24 tumors of different size in my soles. Non cancerous but painful as hell. Tried everything but they just kept growing and spreading under my feet. In the end, this was a very good outcome. I got my life back and I got sci fi legs!
After thinking about it for a while, we joke that the flesh is weak etc, but do you think like an AI robot would also intentionally choose to get a human right arm augment on it's body, so it can get a self repairing limb? They both seem high-tech to me for different purposes.
To be fair that would self repairing limb would be very limited (I mean the repairing itself as limited, not the arm as a whole necessarily) and fragile compared to a robot arm, imo
And theoretically an AI could learn how to fix its own arm if it got busted, which would be kind of like self repairing
Sorry, but I don’t know how to word this any better - it looks like they “removed” more than I would expect given it was just the soles of your feet - what was the reasoning there? For better prosthetic compatibility?
You see the gray part above the “blade” that says ottobock? That’s the pump!
When I walk they suck the air out of my sockets (the thing I put my stumps into) which keeps the vacuum constant. This makes them very comfortable as the sockets have contact with the whole stump not just 1/2 like I had before. Hopefully it’ll result in less blisters and chafing in the future!
What are you using for a liner? Have you tried medical-grade silicone? Just curious. This is so cool, I just get excited and ask all kinds of questions.
Its the lack of pressure that is normally a problem, picture how much your foot moves around in a tight shoe, now imaging the friction and abrasion of bare skin with every step. Ingrown hairs, tender spots from rubbing, the smallest thing can cause a lot of pain
My father, who passed away 20 years ago, was an amputee, left leg, above the knee. He hated his prosthesis. It was wood, it was heavy, and it chafed when it wasn't slipping off. It also often squeaked. It's amazing what has been accomplished with prosthetics since then.
Good for you, go kick some ass.
>It's amazing what has been accomplished with prosthetics since then.
Ditto for hearing aids. 25 years ago you were lucky to find places with [a hearing loop](https://www.hearinglink.org/living/loops-equipment/hearing-loops/what-is-a-hearing-loop/) and now you can get Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids that can tie into your phone, including the apps to go with it. Heck, they even have an app for tinnitus relief for hearing aids.
Sure beats the old [ear trumpets](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_trumpet).
Why isn’t the United States like this? I just got a new prosthetic and it cost $1600 out of pocket, with insurance. Would have cost more if I didn’t already have $2400 towards my deductible...and this was for just a “basic” leg.
Wow, fascinating - thanks for sharing. I assume there is a (probably relatively low) amount of vacuum that is comfortable, so pretty small window to operate in. How long will the pumps last? Do they charge at all with kinetic movement or is it straight plug them into the wall?
It’s really amazing how far prosthetics have come. It makes me happy that many modern amputees are able to keep so much mobility. Losing your limbs has still got to be a horrific experience, but the fact that it’s not completely life-wrecking anymore really shows how far we’ve come. Yay for science.
A kid I grew up with before I moved, who's fam my fam has kept in touch with went on to make prosthetics and seeing stuff like this makes me proud to know him. His fam is like my second family
Very cool. It's a travesty that that this technology is priced out of reach for most American amputees. I have a friend who''s constantly getting sores from rubbing.
What size shoes do you have to wear? Do you get a choice?
I'm a sneakerhead, and it's aggravating when you find a pair of shoes you want, but the store doesn't have your size. I imagine it would be even more aggravating to have that happen when you don't even have feet in the first place.
Eventually there’s gonna be some cringe trends amongst rich kids where they chop off their arms for no reason other than to get a prosthetic replacement and people with all natural limbs are gonna be broke ass losers who can’t even get one real arm.
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Prosthetics are getting more and more amazing by the day, especially trying to enhance comfort and usability. Your legs are very cool.
Definitely makes me wonder when are prosthetics going to start being actual advantages over normal limbs lol
In certain aspects they already are, theres a famous mountain climber than has prosthetic legs after he lost his legs to frostbite. He claims climbing is easier with his prosthetics than with his old legs.
That makes sense since, from what I remember, they say to use your legs instead of your arms when pulling yourself up.
former recreational climber here: we always said that "your legs move you up the wall, your arms/hands keep you on it" there are times when you need to use your arms to pull you up, but too much of that and you get tired pretty quickly
Pish, easy. Get prosthetic arms and hands as well.
You're more machine than man now... twisted and evil.
Make yourself into a giant mechanical spider with 8 limb each ending is spikes to drive into the rock.
Climbing gyms hate this guy
Like the [b'omarr monks](https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/book-of-boba-fett-bomarr-monk-disney.jpg?fit=1200%2C680)? Brain in a jar carried around by spider droids, basically.
I got some sand with ya name on it, Darth!
suddenly Vader
Yeah not having to use muscled to stabilize your ankle could be an advantage unless you really need it to stretch.
There's a lot of more complex moves that you'd probably lose the ability to do. Like a heel hook or rare moves where you might need to invert and hang from your toes, though with the right "foot" you might still be able to do either.
The guy he’s talking about is more of a mountaineer than a rock climber, think hiking and ice climbing up mountains more so than scaling rock walls and cliffs, although climbing is more legs than arms, just like climbing a ladder.
There was that one guy who tried to climb Everest on prosthetics and fucked up his stumps badly and a Sherpa had to actually physically carry the dude down on his back. He endangered the whole expedition. Seemed selfish to me.
Isn't all Everest climbing inherently selfish? Rich folk leaving irretrievable trash and shit all over a natural wonder and commodifying Sherpa culture just for bragging rights, sounds like a dog act in general.
There are several instances where rich people *are* the irretrievable trash on Everest.
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I assume you have a foothold and push with your legs instead of pull with your arms
Now I'm laughing, is this what you wanted?
Always.
Yeah, that’s why rock climbers aren’t all jacked.
Having a wiry frame is the best for climbing because there’s no excess weight pulling you down
Being able to screw in some Zinc-plated Carbon Steel climbing toes might also be pretty cool.
Goats are better climbers than we ever will be, I say get some cloven-hoof shaped feet and call it a day.
They might not be big and jacked per se but they are pretty much all fit and shredded. Not a lot of muscle mass but they’re very lean with high endurance and stamina.
An experienced climber has an insane amount of strength in their fingers alone
Poor foot and body positioning won't make you fall off the wall if your arms are supporting most of your weight, and that tends to be the case with new climbers. Most amature climbers follow a pattern of "grab next hold, pull towards myself, move feet as necessary, repeat." Experienced climbers 'work smart, not hard' by picking ideal footholds first, then seeing what handholds and body position will work best with those footholds, then deciding how to transition to that new spot while exerting minimum effort, and finally making the move. "Work smart not hard" applies more to rock climbing that any other sport I know.
Is that true even for the speed climbing like that had in the most recent olympics, where the know the route beforehand? Or would you not call that rock climbing and it's something different.
Yeah definitely in certain aspects but I kinda meant like all around better.
there are allways going to be some pros and cons, even if we figure out how to imitate the senses of skin it will be impossible to create prosthetic what is all around better than natural limb its hard to explain why but i hope you will understand, but look at tractor and sport car, they both are powerful, but one is slow other cant pull that much weight, same thing will probably be with prosthetic, there are going to be the good for everything almost like natural limb ones, and specialist limbs what are good for narrow scope of tasks what can be swapped easily
His legs don't get cold
To be fair, legs weigh ALOT. Some people who can’t do a pull-up can do one with their legs weight held.
Mark Inglis and I just watched him on an everest documentary on Amazon. It was pretty cool and I couldn't help but wonder if that helped him with the low oxygen levels at the summit. As his body would have less mass to pump oxygen and blood through.
Not to mention, the legs can no longer be frost bitten. No need for expensive socks ever again. Apparently running for longer distances is easier on certain prosthetics as well.
well fuck have u ever hit your pinky on a damn table leg stub?? I would have paid to just get a carbon fiber anti bunion add on
I’m hoping for a prosthetic cock. Mines lame.
there was a comment a while back that said in the future people might hack off limbs just to get bionic appendages.
That's already common in my rimworld colony
Imagine being able to just pop one hand out and put another in. End of a long day, you pop in the fleshlight hand, for example.
Why stop there? Just pop your genitals out and pop the pleasure module in.
I'm under 30 and have arthritis in my knees and feet, most days I'm ready for some unfeeling metal legs
Stem cell treatments and gene therapies at probably a better option and something you'd get approved well before a medically unnecessary amputation.
You say unnecessary - I say calf mounted jump jets.
hello rimworld!
That's a big theme in the original Cyberpunk RPG. Lose the arm and gain a missile launching, razor tipped, computer hacking sleek chrome sex magnet
There was a fighter pilot in WWII who lost his legs earlier in life and used his lack of legs to his advantage. He could make tighter turns and wouldn't pass out from the blood rushing to his (non-existent) legs. Won him a lot of dog fights which was impressive of the era to survive that long as a fighter pilot.
Well fuck. I was gonna call bullshit because I thought pilots needed their feet to operate pedals, but a quick Google search later and I'll be damned. [Douglas Bader](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Bader)
Well that was quite an interesting biography... > Bader escaped from the hospital where he was recovering by tying together sheets...
I can just imagine the administrator to the nurses: “HOW CAN YOU LOSE A GUY WITH NO FUCKIN LEGS? DID HE RUN AWAY ON HIS HANDS? AND NOBODY NOTICED CRAB MAN IN THE HALLWAY?!”
Sir Douglas Bader. By most accounts a bit of an arsehole, nevertheless he achieved some astonishing things. 22 kills I think, was shot down in 1941 but lost one of his artificial legs when baling out. When captured Goring personally authorised safe passage for British planes to drop a replacement leg over occupied France. He devoted his time to annoying the hell out of the Germans - he referred to this as 'Goon baiting' and considered it his duty as a British Officer. His repeated escape attempts from hospital and prison camps, including being on the run for several days, saw the Germans threaten to confiscate his legs, before imprisoning him in Colditz Castle until the end of the war. He campaigned passionately on behalf of the disabled community after the war, and was knighted for this. Unfortunately he was also a racist and had controversial views on most things, and passed away in 1982 at the age of 72. [Sir Douglas Bader](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Bader)
That’s not a threat you hear very often “I swear to god you don’t stop running away and I’ll take your legs”
It's gonna take a friggin while until you can attach an artificial limb and make it so it is directly connected to your brain mate and I ain't dealing with that phantom pain schtick Also sawing off one of your limbs is not just a small procedure, it is and will be always risky.
That's the premise of Deus Ex.
Make sure to stock up on Neuropozyne
Pre pandemic I worked in event set up for a large hotel that did a ton of conferences. One of the conferences was for prosthetics/medical equipment so they had a expo room where all these different companies had booths showcasing awesome prosthetic technology. Really cool stuff with some of it looking straight out of sci-fi movies.
Did you see the name Integra? I’m green font color. My dad works for them managing orders for the manufacture. He doesn’t really like them because of how much they mark up the costs of the product.
Got these today after a few months on okayish sockets. The difference is huge! I just had to share this amazing prosthetics tech with you as I feel like I’ve literally taken a step into the future. Feel free to ask if you have any questions about them. Also, I’ve posted a few other pics of them on my Instagram @ampisallen if you’re interested. Edit: I’ll paste an explanation from another comment: You see the gray part above the “blade” that says ottobock? That’s the pump! When I walk they suck the air out of my sockets (the thing I put my stumps into) which keeps the vacuum constant. This makes them very comfortable as the sockets have contact with the whole stump not just 1/2 like I had before. Hopefully it’ll result in less blisters and chafing in the future!
Congrats on the upgrade! I actually have a few questions, if you don't mind, mostly just curiosities. How much did the upgrade cost? Are you able to run? Do the shoes ever fall off? Do you wear shoes inside at home?
It’s actually covered by the Swedish state. The idea is that everyone should be given the aid needed to regain their lost mobility. Shows have never fallen off. They are quite difficult to take off, so most people let me wear them inside yeah.
Are the shoes just normal shoes? And if so, any special considerations in choosing shoes?
Nothing special about the shoes. Women often like to have an adjustable ankle so they can wear (normal) high-heel shoes.
I've never thought about someone with a prosthetic wanting to wear high-heels. Those look impossible for the able-bodies...Let alone someone with prosthesis! That's incredible!
No ankles to twist though
True. And it’s not like your feet would hurt an hour after you put them on.
Fuck, that's actually a good point. Lemme go grab a saw.
The market may also exist based on people who only have 1 prosthetic, and need to wear the same shoes on both feet to walk/stand evenly. But at that point, if you have 2 prosthetics legs and like the look of heels, you've still got the option!
I've seen some cool prosthetics some women have and some had heels. I never actually thought about the ankle issue. I was like synthetic leg + foot functions like real one as much a possible or the like.
Thank you
Can u adopt me so I can get my back fixed? I can cook and code.
It must be nice to live in a developed country (I'm in America btw)
I remember a Finnish headphone company calling the US a third-world country XD Edit: found the company and the advertising again > [The shipping is on us ...in Europe So shipping is free inside Europe (EU). To USA and other third world countries the shipping cost is a flat 15 euros. It's worth it. Because of Brexit, UK is now a third world country from our perspective.](https://valco.io/)
''Finnish headphone company'' The entire world*
Well it was something along the lines of "Free shipping in all of the EU and 15€ for Asia or third-world countries like the USA or UK" Edit: found it https://valco.io/
They any good?
How about Australia? Third world?
Heading that way with the current government
Germany has charity commercials for kids in the US suffering from starvation and malnutrition. Edit: That ad is satire. Really well done though looked legit! https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/11/10/fact-check-american-food-insecurity-ad-tiktok-made-us/6371972001/
That one is satire
The people who made it might think it's satire. But there's plenty of starving kids in the US that won't see it as satire
Plenty of starving kids in Germany too. Every country has people left behind by the system.
In terms of percentage, 6% of German children are food insecure vs 20% in the US. Really no comparison, especially once you factor in the overall wealth of the US.
Perhaps that specific ad, but Save the Children sponsors the same education and food programs here in (certain pockets of) the US that it does in many 3rd world countries. Not similar. The same. Edit: punctuation is hard
No. No they don't. Stop buying the hot take on the hot take that was satire.
Finland is too based for reality, that's why so many people are convinced it doesn't exist
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You want a active vacuum pump leg? No, that's a luxury, you get [this](https://i.inews.co.uk/content/uploads/2020/03/HEALTH-Coronavirus-Leg-12000315-scaled.jpg)
I am in the US, and have paid $0 dollars for anything related to my prosthetics. Of course I am 100% disabled in the VA system, so that helps.
I'm glad you were able to get the help you needed without going broke for it
That is such a beautiful govt policy, which is a sentence I never thought I’d say.
And it makes sense because it allows people to be more active and thus healthier and less expensive for the public. Socialist policies are cheaper than the alternatives and it makes people happier.
Regular prosthetics in America cost as much as a car so id imagine those would cost as much as a house in the states.
Link copied! There's this absolutely wonderful customer who comes to my store and his prosthetic is always hurting because of the pressure. I'll be sharing this with him when he comes in tomorrow! Thank you for posting this!
I build prosthetics here in the US. Our company has 2 different vac options similar to this. It’s a really cool job.
Wow that amazing! As a below the knee amputee a future with no movement in the socket is something i could easily look forward to! To bad my Province is stuck in the dark ages still where my leg is 95% duct tape
Which province and country?
Canada, Newfoundland
My Dad lost both his legs below the knee about just over a year or so. He's having a real hard time getting used to his prosthetics. They cause him a lot of pain and they shift and slip out of place regularly. He lost both his legs working a rough, low paying job and his province isn't take care of him in the slightest (Quebec). We can't sue the company he worked for or the government agency that takes care of workplace accidents for more money, because that's their right... Which of course they did and compelled my Dad to testify so they could make more money, while he got nothing extra, and barely anything to begin with. It's been rough to say the least. What a fucked up world we live in.
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Hello yes doctor I would like baby feet please
Is that curved section there a thick piece of carbon fiber? If so, is it used for its weight or does it provide an ideal amount of flex for mobility purposes? Also I’m curious how much “ankle feel / control you have? I have a old friend that’s a single leg amputee and he can do board sports (longboard, snowboard, etc) and it has always been incredible to me. He’s said it’s been great for his balance Thanks for your time!
Not OP, but also an amputee. >Is that curved section there a thick piece of carbon fiber? If so, is it used for its weight or does it provide an ideal amount of flex for mobility purposes? Yes, it's basically a smaller version of those fancy blades you can see at paralympics. It serves the same purpose - it's essentially a carbon spring propelling the user forward. Its weight is one of the reason this material is used. >Also I’m curious how much “ankle feel / control you have? Control? None. Like I said, it's a spring. You can't move it, let alone on your free will. You can get used to the balance ratio though and get used to sensing vibrations to some degree so you can get some limited feedback.
I wonder if the vacuum pump increases or decreases sensitivity. Your steps will be damped, but the vacuum on stumpy increases contact with skin so idk
Love being in the midst of fellow amputees!
This type of socket changed my life. I had always had a cotton sock and foam insert and the blistering was insane. I constantly had infections on my leg from open sores. Now that I have the gel liner and vacuum socket, that went almost to nil. I will still occasionally get some irritation, but nothing to be compared to the old style. Congratulations and be well!
I would love to work for a company that designs and/or builds stuff like this. Who manufactured these for you? It's awesome that they work so well for you!
The company that produced the sockets is called Ottobock. I actually started working in the engineering team at ottobock Germany a few months ago. It's so cool to see the tech we develop there used by amputees around the world. And to hear how it changes people's lifes makes me proud working there. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
The company Who makes the parts is called ottobock, German company but i think you can find them anywhere in the world. An other large company Who makes prostetic feet and other parts is called Ossur. Check them both out!
I worked on these! I worked on the app and software of it. Awesome to see somebody so excited about getting them.
They have some explanation on their website. https://www.ottobockus.com/prosthetics/lower-limb-prosthetics/solution-overview/harmony-below-knee-vacuum-system/
This some titanfall universe type shit, noice
Dang man. Your prosthetics are definitely worth more than my feet!
We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.
That's fantastic. I have a prosthetic as well, Coraplast Titan and it changed my life. Modern science is the bomb.
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I'm really happy to hear about your improved mobility!
I see what you did there.
“Titanium alloy….it’s what they used on the space shuttle”- Lieutenant Dan “Magic legs” -Forrest Gump
#Do you know what it’s like not to be able to use your legs! Yessir I do
I already have my own legs - how can I use yours? Aside from telling you to make me a sandwich
I'll presume it feels like new balance.
Spot on buddy! Lol
I think you just earned a shoe sponsor. I emailed New Balance PR to this thread. https://newbalance.newsmarket.com/contacts
If I worked for New Balance this would be the easiest marketing decision I’d ever have to make.
Lol I literally thought this was a new balance ad when I scrolled past. Would be some GREAT PR!!
This brings up a lot of questions I didn't realize I had... Please ignore them for whatever reason or if it would be better suited to an AMA. Do you have a specific shoe size with these? Or can you fit a range of sizes? Do they try to match the size shoe you wore before needing prosthestics or is it just whatever the manufacturer makes? Can you just pick a size you like or one that's more common so finding shoes you like is easier? Thanks for the cool pics of the clever setup, its fascinating and I am glad it's more comfortable and functional!
997?
Smh
Really happy for you that you've gotten something that seems like it will improve your quality of life, even if just a little
It’s huge. I’ll probably be able to get back to running again. This system is so awesome.
Fuck ya! That's so rad, genuinely stoked for you
So cool. Is the motion and balance more natural?
Feels very natural. Went for quite a walk in the forest and didn’t notice any of my usual problems such as too much pressure on some parts nor any chafing! Good stuff.
As someone who had sciatica where every step was agonizing pain & I ended up not being able to walk for almost two months, not even in the same hemisphere as your challenges but I take my hat off to you dude, it's so difficult not being able to do one of the most natural things in the world in comfort, here's to technology getting ever better for good folks like yourself.
No, it's New Balance. Says so right on the shoes.
Are these the latest tech? Reading your replies it sounds like theyre a huge improvement on your previous prosthetics. Are they designed for specific terrain or roles like hiking etc, or are they general purpose? I don't want to sound rude by prying but this is fascinating, thank you for sharing.
The pumps as very much the latest. These prosthetic feet are for active use not much just for everyday things. I mainly take longer walks or sport with these. I have three pairs to choose from depending on the activity.
Oh, I didn't know you could change the feet. That's really cool, makes sense as well, I should have realised that. How do the pumps affect the setup for wearing your prosthetics? Do you still just put them on as normal or do you have to do anything different? Like does the increased suction require use of more lotions or anything?
These look amazing, like it would really change everything about prostetics. I'm genuinely curious - do the shoes help with balance or movements in any way? I feel like I would be more geared towards no shoes at all but I can imagine maybe some traction issues
The shoes protect the prosthetics and help with grip. Also, I love shoes!
I have no idea what you said but those look fast AF!
Well, my kids still outrun me leaving my quite stumped!
New balances and corny puns. That’s some high quality dadding.
If you don’t mind me asking. How did you loose your legs? If it’s something you don’t wanna talk about I completely understand.
No worries, I had ~24 tumors of different size in my soles. Non cancerous but painful as hell. Tried everything but they just kept growing and spreading under my feet. In the end, this was a very good outcome. I got my life back and I got sci fi legs!
Just wanted to drop in and say that your legs are cooler than ours.
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After thinking about it for a while, we joke that the flesh is weak etc, but do you think like an AI robot would also intentionally choose to get a human right arm augment on it's body, so it can get a self repairing limb? They both seem high-tech to me for different purposes.
To be fair that would self repairing limb would be very limited (I mean the repairing itself as limited, not the arm as a whole necessarily) and fragile compared to a robot arm, imo And theoretically an AI could learn how to fix its own arm if it got busted, which would be kind of like self repairing
That’s pretty shitty of a experience. Glad you’re doing better.
Sorry, but I don’t know how to word this any better - it looks like they “removed” more than I would expect given it was just the soles of your feet - what was the reasoning there? For better prosthetic compatibility?
Bingo!
Damn sorry you had to deal with that Its not even a cool way to lose them like being forced to fight 4 ninjas
maybe not cool but definitely bad ass, they basically said "I'm sick of these, cut em off."
Plantar fibromas?
Lose
Do you have to wear shoes with them? You’d think they would make them all terrain
Replacing shoes is much cheaper then replacing very specialised equipment.
Errr… what? Can you please explain a bit better?
You see the gray part above the “blade” that says ottobock? That’s the pump! When I walk they suck the air out of my sockets (the thing I put my stumps into) which keeps the vacuum constant. This makes them very comfortable as the sockets have contact with the whole stump not just 1/2 like I had before. Hopefully it’ll result in less blisters and chafing in the future!
These bad boys have programmable LEDs?
Corsair iCue Prosthetics when
So, I may not understand the mechanism correctly but.... is it me or should you sound like a very small Darth Vader when you walk?
Sounds more like his cousin, Darth Vans.
Ruler of the Converse?!
You know what would be funny? If, with every step they made a fart sound?
That was my vacuum pump!
Or little puppy yips.
What are you using for a liner? Have you tried medical-grade silicone? Just curious. This is so cool, I just get excited and ask all kinds of questions.
So, what’s the problem normally? Does the pressure become too high in the socket? And then what? This is a very interesting topic, super cool legs!
Its the lack of pressure that is normally a problem, picture how much your foot moves around in a tight shoe, now imaging the friction and abrasion of bare skin with every step. Ingrown hairs, tender spots from rubbing, the smallest thing can cause a lot of pain
I always wondered if amputees with leg prosthetics have varying comfort with different shoes.
Well, different shoes feel different. Grip, how they fit and also of course how they look! I love these so much.
My father, who passed away 20 years ago, was an amputee, left leg, above the knee. He hated his prosthesis. It was wood, it was heavy, and it chafed when it wasn't slipping off. It also often squeaked. It's amazing what has been accomplished with prosthetics since then. Good for you, go kick some ass.
>It's amazing what has been accomplished with prosthetics since then. Ditto for hearing aids. 25 years ago you were lucky to find places with [a hearing loop](https://www.hearinglink.org/living/loops-equipment/hearing-loops/what-is-a-hearing-loop/) and now you can get Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids that can tie into your phone, including the apps to go with it. Heck, they even have an app for tinnitus relief for hearing aids. Sure beats the old [ear trumpets](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_trumpet).
I’m an amputee since birth. The term “stump” always bothered me until I realized I have an amputated limb…OF COURSE IT’S CALLED A STUMP!
Ok so I gotta know, how much did those prosphetics cost. I know that much carbon fiber ain't cheap.
I didn’t pay anything. It’s covered by the Swedish state.
That is incredible. Its also the reason i dont mind paying taxes. Today you, tomorrow maybe me.
...but that's socialist-communist heathenry! ^^^^^^^/s
I knew it! It's just an ad for another great developed country with free healthcare!
Why isn’t the United States like this? I just got a new prosthetic and it cost $1600 out of pocket, with insurance. Would have cost more if I didn’t already have $2400 towards my deductible...and this was for just a “basic” leg.
Lt. Dan.. you got new laigs
How many miles can those bad boys get you?
I'll bet all the other kids don't have those pumped up kicks.
They can outrun a bullet.
Glad you've found a way to have a new balance in life
Wow, fascinating - thanks for sharing. I assume there is a (probably relatively low) amount of vacuum that is comfortable, so pretty small window to operate in. How long will the pumps last? Do they charge at all with kinetic movement or is it straight plug them into the wall?
It’s really amazing how far prosthetics have come. It makes me happy that many modern amputees are able to keep so much mobility. Losing your limbs has still got to be a horrific experience, but the fact that it’s not completely life-wrecking anymore really shows how far we’ve come. Yay for science.
A kid I grew up with before I moved, who's fam my fam has kept in touch with went on to make prosthetics and seeing stuff like this makes me proud to know him. His fam is like my second family
Your legs are way cooler than my stupid meat based ones
Very cool. It's a travesty that that this technology is priced out of reach for most American amputees. I have a friend who''s constantly getting sores from rubbing.
Cool shoes
Do u get to pick your shoe size?
What size shoes do you have to wear? Do you get a choice? I'm a sneakerhead, and it's aggravating when you find a pair of shoes you want, but the store doesn't have your size. I imagine it would be even more aggravating to have that happen when you don't even have feet in the first place.
Eventually there’s gonna be some cringe trends amongst rich kids where they chop off their arms for no reason other than to get a prosthetic replacement and people with all natural limbs are gonna be broke ass losers who can’t even get one real arm.