AmputeeIndependent news for real life
Clear reporting and practical context for amputees, limb-different people, families, and the people in their corner.
Start with the latest
K-levels are the functional classification numbers that largely determine which prosthetic devices Medicare will pay for. A PLOS One study tested a method using inertial sensors to classify ambulatory function in real-world conditions, and found it worth pursuing further.
Read the full storyFind your way in
Fresh reporting
Séamus Kennedy, CPed, FAAOP(A), was appointed to the Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics editorial board in October 2026. JPO editor in chief Steven Gard cited significant growth in manuscript submissions on pedorthics and foot and ankle biomechanics as the reason for the seat.
Make for Good pairs 24 accessibility design briefs with a global 3D-printing community. Here’s what the contest includes, how to explore the designs, and why user testing matters.
NUPOC launched a 70th anniversary site ahead of a February 2028 event. The center has trained prosthetists and orthotists since 1958, when academic programs for the profession were rare. Moxie Calder on what an institutional birthday actually measures.
A cross-sectional study of 698 veterans with major upper-limb amputations found that fitting within three to six months was associated with higher odds of continued prosthesis use and better satisfaction scores. Waiting longer was not.
A summer 2026 Harris Poll of 1,514 healthcare workers and 304 healthcare employers found that 81 percent of workers want employer-sponsored education, while only 48 percent of employers offer it. In O&P, where losing one certified prosthetist can reshape patient access across a region, the gap has a specific shape.
The prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeleton research platform company formalized governance this week with five members spanning commercialization, health technology, and clinical medicine.
Practical, not prescriptive
Plain-language starting points for daily questions, appointments, travel, work, and care.
Explore every guide
Gear & care · 9 min readGLP-1 medications and prosthetic socket fit: what to expect and how to manage it↗
Getting started · 8 min readWhat has to happen before your first prosthetic fitting↗
Getting started · 12 min readUpper limb prosthetic control systems: what your options are and what to ask before choosing↗
Daily life · 10 min readAfter a vascular amputation: taking care of the leg you still have↗
Daily life · 10 min readGetting mental health care after limb loss: how to recognize when you need it and how to find it↗Have a lead or a correction?
Know about a policy change, local story, useful resource, or something we got wrong?
Send the desk a note
