A study conducted by the Amputee Coalition, a non profit organization based out of US states that there are nearly 2 million people living with limb loss in the country and more people are losing a limb every day. Individuals living with limb loss experience difficulties both physically and mentally. Not only is limb loss a debilitating condition in itself, but it can also cause other conditions that impact a person’s general health. When it comes to rehabilitation for amputees, prosthetic limbs are the first port of call.
However, the chances of rejecting artificial limbs are high. The reason behind this is that most prosthetic devices do not have the advanced functions that allow amputees to effectively carry out their daily tasks. Hence, many orthopedic implant companies or even service providers are addressing this existing problem and developing devices that complete their life.
However, the key here is not just to develop advanced medical devices but to ensure that the amputees are benefiting from the device. To achieve this, the device must be nothing short of being world-class. It should be unique and on par or better than the best product in the market. This is because everyone wants the best product, irrespective of its price.
Secondly, all the products or medical devices should be user-centric. The device should be designed keeping in mind the context of everyone who is involved with the product. The goal is not just to improve the technical performance of the world-class product but, also the human performance.
In this edition of Insights Care, we have had the privilege to feature the Keep Walking Project. It is one of the most innovative orthopedic implant companies which develops devices that improve human performance and is at par with the market standards.
Comprehensive Orthopedic Care
Keep Walking Project is a subsidiary company of the Tequir company, which is an R&D company focused on innovative solutions in the field of musculoskeletal rehabilitation. One of its developments is the Keep Walking implant for transfemoral amputees; an exclusive implant that restores thecapability of individuals with transfemoral amputation to bear their weight on the distal end of their residueum.
It is an efficient and safe solution for the amputee patients. The Keep Walking implant can be used in all kinds of transfemoral amputations (vascular, traumatic or oncologic), both in early implantation (where the implant is placed into the femur during the amputation surgery) or in delayed implantation (where the implant is placed in a different surgery).
The company also works on developing protective devices for the osseointegrated patient (patients with an endo-exo type implant solution) and custom made solutions for transtibial and transhumeral amputees.
A Visionary Leader Words and ideas can change the world. If not for the idea of doing something
unique, the Keep Walking Project would not have been possible. It is the brainchild of Álvaro Alonso who has been serving as the CEO of Keep Walking since its creation in 2011. Although he studied economics, he has a long experience and a deep knowledge of biomechanics and prosthetics. He has worked in the industry for 30 years. Most of this time in the orthopedic, spinal and neurosurgical fields.
When Keep Walking Project had developed its first implant device that restores the distal weight capacity, the then founders including Alonso recognized the importance of this device. Also, it is currently the only company developing this unique type of implant. The growing number of amputees all over the world create a strong demand from all satakeholders including end-users themselves, leading Alonso and his colleagues to introduce Keep Walking Project into the market.
The Horizon of Keep Walking
Now that the implant is on the market, Keep Walking Project is committed to develop devices that bring remarkable changes in lives and will continue to do so. But, what is its actual purpose? Over the years, the industry has undergone a strong reorganization process and big companies have focused and taken over the market for the standard implant. Also, with the increasing number of patients, the competition is only going to increase and would be treated from many different fields.
This is where Keep Walking steps in and makes all the difference. It is specialized in developing niche products that provide a solution to a specific problem, here, that problem is solely the amputee patients. “Our approach is to give a better functionality to the amputee patient, which means greater independence and, finally, a better quality of life,” asserts Alonso.
There is not, at the moment, any other implant in the market like the Keep Walking Implant for Trans femoral amputees. The Keep Walking Implant is suitable for almost every transfemoral amputation regardless of the etiology (vascular, traumatic or oncologic).s As it is a total endo implant, alleviate problems commonly encounter with other implants for the amputees currently used for limited patients, as the endo-exo implants.
What’s More In Store
Alonso and his team have scaled up further advancements. Keep Walking Project is definite about the path it has to travel ahead. He says that there are three factors converge that make the future of implants for amputee patients promising. First, the multidisciplinary approach to amputee patient treatment and the specialist’s view on amputation. Second, patient themselves are more empowered and seeks and claims the best bespoke solution for addressing their specific needs.. And third, society is obligated to solve the thousands and thousands of amputee patients who, if not given the appropriate approach, will be large consumers of healthcare resources. The problem has begun to be recognized and the Keep Walking Implant valued as a relevant option.
He concludes by saying, “Keep Walking is determined to remain a a leading player in the development of solutions for the millions on individuals experiencing limb loss worldwide.”
