Back at the clinic today after a beautiful weekend appreciating this country and its people!  Today our three runners finalized their test sockets. What are test sockets?  Prosthetists use a thick, clear plastic to form the first socket for the prosthesis because it is easier to see the limb contact in the device and easier to use heat to alter the fit for improved comfort/alignment. Tomorrow morning, we will all enjoy a nice long run to confirm that the sockets fit well and

Agility day!  This morning we were granted access to an AMAZING track facility to practice the agility necessary to increase trust in a prosthetic  limb.  The patients completed some of the drills from the CHAMP test. The CHAMP is a functional outcomes measure designed by Bob Gailey  for high activity patients with limb loss. Check out the link that explains it better below. This afternoon we all focused on aligning and modifying test sockets to prepare for the final sockets

Today the Ukrainians led the exercises and ... I didn't die! 😜 I may have a different story to tell when the muscle soreness sets in tomorrow, but for now I'm feeling great! We started the morning with a work out in the park while the prosthetics team worked furiously in the lab. We added some pre running drills into the work out as well. Yesterday we used the Coach's Eye ap to analyze their gait before any training and today we re analyzed them to compare. Everyone is look

Day three at the clinic! We found a old time "weight loss" machine. Anyone remember pictures with rows of women standing on vibrating boards to lose weight in the 60s? I have always wanted to see one!!! It was everything I thought it would be. I think I lost 10 pounds today! :-) Now, I just need to see if it will fit in my suitcase. The prosthetists worked their butts off casting, modifying, and pulling test sockets while the therapists kicked the butts of the patients! :-)

Day two in the books! The day opened with some amazing lectures on advanced prosthetic rehab. Jon Batzdorff, team leader and prosthetist, put together quite a team! Chris Fantini, prosthetist from the VA, started the lectures with reports of prosthetic technology advancements and reminded us all to be creative with patients' goals and our resources! Laura Burgess, physical therapist from England, followed to teach us about preparing for prosthetic running. A great foundat

Day one complete! We had the chance to tour the beautiful facility. Pictures to follow this week. We then met the local prosthetists and physical therapists followed by the patients we will be treating during the trip. All of these individuals are amazing! The therapists and prosthetists are eager to learn and the patients are ready to run and/or advance their activity levels. Some of the patients are already Paralympic athletes in various sports and would like add runnin

We have arrived! Most of the team met in Kiev, the capital of Ukriane, before flying to meet the rest of the team in Dnipropetrovsk. We enjoyed a late dinner last night and have appreciated the chance to relax today to recover from the flight, team build, and prepare for the busy day ahead. The team is amazing and I am so excited to learn from them this week. We have four prosthetists. One from California, one from New York, one from Canada, and one from Australia. One ot

Evolve is headed to Ukraine! Almost one year ago, I was contacted by a friend about his previous mission trip to Ukraine to fabricate prosthetic limbs for individuals living there. He was preparing for another trip and was hoping that I could attend as the focus of the trip is prosthetic running and adaptive sports. How could I say “no?” I love adventures and this sounds like a great one! I will be travelling with a team of international prosthetists, therapists, and fundr

Water and Prosthetics It is summertime, so bring on the water activities! Participating in aquatics with limb loss can be difficult, but it does not have to be! Here are some quality tips to enjoy your H20 fun this season! “Shower leg” Some individuals are able to create/use a “shower leg” on the beach. A “shower leg” is a very simple prosthesis without a foot shell that will not break down when introduced to water. This leg is great for standing while showering, but also

Neuromas The nerves that are cut during an amputation will “roll up” at the end. Surgeons put the nerve under tension before cutting it with the hope that the nerve will “roll up” into the muscle belly, essentially being protected by the body’s own tissue. Sometimes, the end of the nerve will move, secondary to muscle atrophy (loss of volume) or the nerve moving itself. Unfortunately, this can allow external stimuli to make contact with nerve and cause pain. The pain is t