If you love to ski or snowboard, the products featured here may
help you enjoy your time in the snow this winter even more!
College Park
Whether you are a green hill beginner or black diamond expert, College Park feet offer exceptional ankle function, dynamic response and directional shock absorption. They will get you down the hill with the confi dence to tackle the most uneven terrain and steepest slopes. And, after a full day of downhill runs, when you head to the lounge to relax, College Park feet will get you there with a stable and smooth gait pattern.
Edward “Stew” Stewart, a veteran snowboard enthusiast and instructor, likes the TruStep because of the “fl exibility and lateral movement when the prosthesis is buckled to the board.”
College Park offers three choices for the active individual:
• The TruStep® foot's superior ankle performance gives you more freedom of motion without sacrifi cing comfort. The multiaxial TruStep offers virtually the same vertical motion, rotation and stability found in the anatomical foot, restoring a more natural gait, reducing shock and enhancing physical capacity.
• The TruPer® foot is the fi rst multiaxial, dynamic response foot made just for kids! Children are demanding on their prostheses and grow fast. College Park's unique dual size range allows TruPer to grow with each child so they can have a durable, convenient and lasting foot. TruPer gives kids the freedom to ski, run, play and have fun as they develop a good gait.
• The Venture™ foot is a paragon of precise engineering that generates performance to suit a dynamic lifestyle. Why change your prosthetic foot every time you change your shoes? Venture, the ultimate fusion of power and agility, transitions with you … from the ski slopes to the gym to the office. Venture integrates high-performance function with a customizable design that is comfortable to wear – all day, every day.
For more information, call 800/728-7950 or visit College Park's Web site at www.college-park.com
Otto Bock HealthCare
For skiing, it is important to work with your prosthetist to determine the best equipment and prosthetic components to use to support your unique needs. The Otto Bock collection of feet offers many options that would work well for skiing and other winter sports, including the Journey™, the company's newest foot that features a high degree of multiaxial function. In addition, the company offers several products that provide shock absorption, including the Harmony® Vacuum Management System and the Delta Twist.
For more information, visit Otto Bock HealthCare's Web site at www.ottobockus.com
Ohio Willow Wood
“I use the Alpha® MAX Liner and the Magnum HD Foot on my ski prostheses,” says Jim Lagerstrom, an avid skier. Alpha® MAX Cushion and Locking Liners, the newest siblings in the Ohio Willow Wood family of Alpha® products, incorporate the same skin-friendly thermoplastic elastomer gel, which contains mineral oil for conditioning the skin. The MAX fabric provides an outer cover for the liner that has tested three times more abrasion-resistant than other liners on the market today. The fabric has also virtually eliminated any gel separation that can occur over time with all liners. The Alpha® MAX Locking Liner features the Stabilizing Strip, which has proven to reduce movement within the socket and increase durability of the liner. Choose from three gel thicknesses to maximize comfort and socket fit, and choose from six sizes to adapt to the limb circumference.
Ohio Willow Wood also offers the Magnum HD Foot for level 1 through level 3 amputees weighing up to 350 pounds (159 kg) and level 4 amputees weighting up to 300 (136 kg) pounds. The Magnum HD Foot is uniquely designed to withstand high activity levels and has proven to be very durable and reliable, while providing excellent response for amputees. Backed by one year of extensive laboratory testing, the Magnum HD Foot has exceeded the strict testing standards set by ISO 10328. The foot is remarkably lightweight, and the slim design and lifelike cosmesis offer a more pleasing appearance.
For more information, call 800/848-4930 or visit www.owwco.com
Freedom Innovations
The Ski Foot, made by Freedom Innovations, is the first prosthetic foot designed to be quickly and easily inserted directly into a ski binding – just step in and go. The design completely eliminates the need for a ski boot on the residual limb and may be configured to fit any standard ski binding. Previously, amputees had to modify their ski boots and bindings significantly to achieve a proper fit; unfortunately, the modifications would drastically decrease the ski boot's performance, resulting in less stability and control.
The Ski Foot provides the necessary flex and shock absorption to provide a fluid motion without the rigid shock normally experienced when skiing. With the Ski Foot, amputees gain greater control of their skis, while enhancing their range of motion. This also gives them greater endurance, which allows them to spend more time on the slopes. The Ski Foot, made of carbon fiber composite materials, also features a nonslip rubber sole that is great for walking on ice and snow.
Ron Harding, director of Freedom Innovations' Amputee Advocate Program, is a bilateral amputee and wears Freedom ski feet with impressive results. Earlier this year, Ron received his Level One Adaptive Professional Certificate, qualifying him to teach disabled students to ski.
“The Ski Foot provides a smooth feel and added convenience never before seen in the prosthetics industry,” Ron says.
For more information on the Ski Foot, call 888/818-6777 or 949/672-0032, or visit www.freedominnovations.com
Next Step O&P
Working with former Paralympic bronze medalist and Next Step O&P prosthetist Bob Emerson, below-knee amputee and snowboarder Cliff Cabral uses what he calls his “secret weapon.” By customizing an Endolite ankle/foot system by changing the durometer of the rubber and adjusting angles to provide proper fore and aft position of the foot, Cliff participated in the USASA Snowboarding Nationals and won two gold medals while competing with ablebodied snowboarders.
Frank Potter, a below-knee amputee and former Paralympic ski team member, uses an Active Ankle by Rampro with a SACH foot. The Active Ankle allows him to drive his knee toward the tip of the ski in a more natural manner because he is able to use the characteristics of the ski boot, which helps him to hold an edge. Because the Active Ankle duplicates the movement of an ankle so naturally, Frank either stiffens his boot for more aggressive slopes or releases it for less demanding skiing.
For more information about Next Step O&P, visit the company's Web site at www.nextstepoandp.com
Advertising Policy
The National Limb Loss Information Center does not support, or take position on, pending legislation or legislative proposals. The views expressed in inMotion do not necessarily reflect those of the Amputee Coalition of America or the National Limb Loss Information Center, nor does inMotion endorse any specific technology, company or device. Consumers are urged to consult with their healthcare providers before making any purchasing decisions involving their care.
