By Yael (Miller) Proctor
The Amputee Coalition holds a national conference every year with a mission to educate, support, and advocate for people impacted by limb loss and limb difference. It’s a consumer-focused opportunity for people with these challenges to engage with various solutions. At the conference, attendees can interact with vendors, try out the latest prosthetic technologies, and make informed decisions about their care and support needs. The Jewish Foundation for Education of Women (JFEW) made my attendance at this conference possible and has really encouraged me to learn more about what I am most passionate about throughout my undergraduate career. The conference took place in Orlando, Florida and lasted three days. As a pre-med student interested in the field of prosthetics, getting the opportunity to meet amputees and learn from real professionals made this an experience of a lifetime!
My friend Annabelle Muller, a student in Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and I flew to Florida and arrived at the beautiful Renaissance Orlando at Seaworld Hotel. We were welcomed by volunteers and members of the amputee coalition. We immediately recognized the diverse group of attendees including amputees, healthcare professionals, clinicians, and technology experts. On each day of the conference, there was a schedule that included activity clinics, exhibitions, speeches, and breakout rooms. Overall, there was such a positive atmosphere and a sense of eagerness to connect and share each other’s experiences.
We spent a lot of time at the exhibition hall stopping at each station to see the fascinating technology they had to share. There was such a variety of prosthetic and related products on display and a couple of them stood out to me. One of them was Össur’s arm prosthetics, which are cutting-edge and innovative devices, designed to restore upper limb function for individuals with limb loss. What sets them apart is their integration of advanced technologies like myoelectric sensors and intuitive control systems. It essentially allows its users to perform complicated and precise movements with extremely natural motions. Ottobock’s leg prosthetics also stood out to me for their versatile attachments tailored to various sports, enabling amputees to easily engage in activities like golf, running, and other sports. They showcased specialized attachments that enhance performance and adaptability, depending on what activity the user is engaging in.
We learned how complicated having a prosthetic is, and how it is not just the prosthetic that is involved in the picture. There are many accessories and many issues that present themselves for individuals with limb loss. For example, an amputee experiences their body composition and fluid volume in their stump changing throughout the day. The company InBody offers a device that measures and monitors their body composition, making it easier for them and their healthcare providers to track their health and adjust their prosthetics when needed. Another example is cleaning the devices. Amputees are told to clean their prosthetics once a day which is actually much more time consuming than you might think. Rapid Ozone Sleeve Sanitizer (ROSS) is a cylindrical device that uses ozone technology to quickly disinfect and refresh prosthetic sleeves, allowing amputees to stay hygienic and comfortable without the need for harsh chemicals or lengthy processes. Amputees walked around the exhibition hall, trying on these devices and testing them out. Some fun companies even came like Amputee Sock Prints just to make the prosthetics a little bit more custom-made and personal.
One of the hottest topics at the conference was the innovative and controversial osseointegration surgery that involves anchoring a prosthetic implant directly to the bone. This gave the amputees a more natural connection between the body and the prosthetic limb. It is meant to enhance stability, mobility, and comfort for amputees. A surgeon, who himself became an amputee as a result from a car crash, underwent the surgery and spoke to our breakout room about his experience and reflections. He explained how his quality of life greatly improved after the surgery and how the lightweight leg is better for restoring the true anatomy of the body. However, he also shared how infections became much more of a day-to-day occurrence, being that there was a metal pole protruding from his stump. He concluded that for someone struggling with the standard prosthesis, osseointegration is a very realistic option and suggested that, at the core, it isn’t much more novel than a tooth prosthetic or a knee replacement in regard to surgeries that integrate metal with bone. Hearing stories like this firsthand greatly widened my perspective about technology nowadays and the possible emotional and oftentimes financial toll it can take on a person.
When I shared with others before the conference that I was to attend an amputee coalition conference, people were a bit confused with my choices of how to spend my free summer time. But after everything I heard and experienced, and after meeting all the people that I did, my passion was only reinforced. Listening to the keynote speaker share his journey from an Olympic snowmobile athlete, losing his leg during a competition, to rising anew as a Paralympic snowboarder and even an author, ignited an unshakable fire within me. Witnessing the triumph of humans in overcoming adversity, his story radiates an unwavering message of resilience and determination that resonates deeply.
The conference offered valuable insights into the world of amputees, highlighting their courage and strength in the face of challenges. Personally, my understanding deepened as I heard remarkable stories and interacted with inspiring individuals. The future of amputee care looks incredibly promising, with advancements like osseointegration and innovative prosthetic technologies. I’m excited to see these developments unfold and make a positive impact. To all readers, I encourage staying informed about these evolving fields that continue to redefine possibilities and empower those who have struggled greatly, and have overcome the seemingly impossible.