Joel Legawiec

In November 2006, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the amputation of my left leg below the knee. From March 2007 until September 2022, I walked with a traditional socket prosthesis. Over that time I tried multiple different suspension systems and had many different sockets however, none of them were perfect and they all caused some sort of problem. I struggled with pressure sores and skin infections. While I would push through the pain to keep moving, it was never comfortable. After my osseointegration surgery in September 2022, I was excited to get back out to traveling and hiking. Things that had been severely limited since my amputation. In July 2023, my family and I traveled for the first time. In that time we walked an average of 8-10 miles per day. During the entire 2 weeks, my leg never gave me any problems. I no longer had to worry about dealing with the liners, or the added heat of having my leg wrapped in silicone. Osseointegration has changed my life for the better, allowing me to fully participate in our family's vacation without being in pain or further injuring myself.