Innovative prostheses positively change the Paralympics

• Author: Maja Hoock
• Position: IP & R&D Corporate Communications, Ottobock, Germany

Johannes Floors (26) improved his world record in the 200 meters on June 25 using sports prosthetics – and won gold at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in August 2021. (Photo: Courtesy of Ottobock)

Johannes Floors sprints on his track in Leverkusen for up to six hours every day. In August, he flew to Japan to compete against athletes from every corner of the world. “I’ve actually been preparing for the Paralympic Games since 2016,” says the 26-year-old. The German track and field athlete won gold at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Mr. Floors is currently the world’s fastest person on prostheses. He improved his world record in the 200 meter at the end of June and is also the fastest in his class(T62) in the 100 and 400 meters. But these achievements are anything but a given. Mr. Floors was born with a genetic defect affecting the fibula. He was missing both fibulas and had deformed feet. Sprinting was out of the question. “There was too much pain,” he says. For this reason, he made the decision to have both lower legs amputated ten years ago. “I was still in bed at the hospital when I decided to register for the sports program at school,” he recalls. His everyday prostheses allow him to walk normally now – and he can sprint with special carbon springs designed for sports. “Feeling that speed is a huge emotional experience,” he says.

Not long ago, Paralympic athletes wore their everyday prostheses during competitive sports. Only in the 1980s did they begin wearing specially-designed prostheses for sprinting. Unlike the natural leg or sports prostheses today, conventional prostheses don’t flex as easily and make it difficult to carry out movements required for specific sports. “All of a sudden, there were sports prostheses – and that changed everything,” says Mr. Floors.

Ottobock now holds 1,886 patents issued in over 540 patent families – including numerous technical innovations for Paralympic sports.

Sports prostheses help people participate

Ottobock is a manufacturer of widely used sports prostheses and wheelchairs and has been providing devices for Paralympic athletes for over 30 years. The German company, known for wearable human bionics, has been fabricating prostheses for over 100 years. Initially, the company produced replacement limbs made of wood for those who had been injured in the First World War. Today, its products include AI-supported prostheses, such as the bebionic hand, that have set new technological standards.

Ottobock now holds 1,886 patents issued in over 540 patent families – including numerous technical innovations for Paralympic sports.

The agile 1E95 prosthetic foot, for example, is used in sports such as basketball and volleyball. The foot has a simple structure and makes walking, jogging and sudden changes of direction easier. Ottobock developed the patented 1E91 Runner especially for sprinters and long jumpers. Many Paralympic legends wear this prosthetic foot, which can be easily adapted to suit the needs of different individuals. And its force line is closer to the body’s center of gravity, making the carbon spring more efficient to use.

Video: How a carbon fibre running blade is made

Orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) professional Julian Napp was part of the development team. He has been overseeing the Ottobock Technical Repair Service Center at the Paralympic Games since 2012. Athletes bring their prostheses and wheelchairs to the workshop when they need to be repaired. The technician incorporated his practical experiences...