amputee & Biking

[tbar at gate.net]

Kevin,Rhonda,and Ester and Amp-Lters

Take a read on this amp whom recently biked 3800 miles across country to
promote  a reconstruction amputation procedure known as the Ertl.

http://www.ampu-cycle.com/ampucycle2003.htm

See more at www.ertlreconstruction.com



-----Original Message-----
From: AMP-L-owner at u.washington.edu [mailto:AMP-L-owner at u.washington.edu] On
Behalf Of Esther L.
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 7:50 PM
To: Amputee Information Network
Subject: Re: Irritations & Biking

There's a free newspaper where I live that's aimed at the serious
running/triathlon/ swimming/biking target market.  The November 2003 issue
has an article about a relatively local AK amputee who bikes, Nick LaRaia,
on page 5 (with picture).

Nick is a physical therapist at Maria Parham Medical Center in Henderson,
NC.
He became an amputee on a bike ride in Nov 2002 - he's somewhere 40-50 in
age.
He started riding again in March 2003, and completed the 150-mile MS 150
fund-raising bike ride Sept 13-14.  In the picture he's on a road bike, and
uses Speedplay pedals. His prosthesis is nicely visible in the picture. I
would guess that it helps that he was very athletic before amputation, and
that he's a PT.

The newspaper is www.endurancemag.com,  but this article is not online.
I'd be willing to postal-mail a copy of it to folks who are interested.

I am envious that he can ride 18 mph average, even with hills. I wonder if
he does coaching? I should get my prosthetist to learn from his prosthetist,
instead of just responding to my cycling questions by talking about his
playing softball (my prosthetist is a B/K).
Esther Lumsdon


Kevin & Rhonda Wixom wrote:

> TC,
>  
> It was on a motorcycle that I lost my leg and haven't been back on one 
> yet, but I'm guessing I will someday.  I'm sure you do get some pretty
> interesting looks.   Most people would think (and they'd be mostly 
> right) that it takes some physical strength to ride a hog and someone 
> who could ride could walk well.  But, it's a different skill set; so 
> to speak.
>  
> I AM going to get back into bicycling though and have begun looking 
> for bikes and ways to the the AK prosthetic to fit right for biking.
>  
> Anyone out there biking with a prosthetic?  Experiences??
>  
> Kevin
>  
>
>
>


--
---
Esther L. esther-l at alumni.virginia.edu, Speaking only for myself