The art of recovery
Sergeant Colin Hamilton lost his right leg above the knee and suffered serious burns from an electric shock whilst trying to save a comrade who later died, in Kosovo in 2001. Since then he has fought hard to become fighting fit and continues to push himself to the limit.
Sgt Hamilton's first prosthetic leg was fitted by the Selly Oak Limb Centre, Birmingham and after rehabilitation he returned to Iraq in the spring of 2003. Subsequently, he was fitted with a further high activity leg by the Birmingham Amputee Rehabilitation Centre. This, along with a dedicated rehabilitation programme at DMRC, Headley Court and his determination to prove that he could return to active duty, challenged him to achieve the second fastest time of six minutes 50 seconds for an 800m run by a military amputee.
Hamilton remembers that during this time he had very few problems and despite the conditions – on one occasion he wore his prosthetic leg continuously for almost three days – he played a key role at Camp Dogwood in Iraq as a Signaller in the Battalion Operations Room.
Now back in the UK, based at the Unit Welfare Office, Inverness, Hamilton continues to take on new challenges. Recently fitted with the revolutionary C-Leg® (which he claims he "hardly notices") he is a martial arts student in the Bujinkan Scotland and competes with the fittest.
He has a black belt and is a 1st dan in Ninutsu, a martial art that is highly demanding for even the very fittest. His teacher, Jock Brocas from the Shinsin Shingan in Inverness praises Hamilton's commitment and skill and explains how the C-Leg has stood up to the long hours of training and the demands of the art: "He has been a member of the Hiken Dojo for a considerable time and we have used varied methods of testing to ensure that his leg will withstand the rigors of training in Japanese traditional warrior arts. His current C-Leg is proving the most successful and has become a natural extension for him.
"Colin uses the leg, not only as a support system but also as a very effective weapon to re-educate egotistical students!"
The C-Leg which has an intelligent knee joint always recognises which walking phase the user is in and adjusts accordingly in real time. The knee angle sensor supplies the information required for the dynamic control of the swing phase, depending on step length and frequency of the user. This means that in any situation or condition the system automatically adapts reducing the risk of falling. It can also be adjusted for activities such as cross-country skiing and cycling using a second mode.
Hamilton has tested his new leg to the limits and is enthusiastic about the improved stability and balance and in his own words: "It will 'kick in' and hold you up and is always there when you need it... The old leg wasn't reacting fast enough and this one reacts at any angle."
A leap in technology
The C-Leg® was a stride forward when it was first introduced by Otto Bock healthcare in 1999. It uses computers that control resistance in the knees to adjust to the terrain. The microprocessor that controls the C-Leg receives feedback from multiple sensors 50 times a second, allowing the knee to anticipate the next move and make adjustments in real time.
Upper body prosthetics are more complex as the human hand requires multiple movements from the shoulder, elbow and wrist to determine movement and grip. Current prosthetic arms use muscle movement for power and are limited in what they can do.
With prosthetic arms, better function means increased weight and many patients choose split hook attachments for their functional ability despite the availability of myoelectrical systems which use EMG signals from contracted muscles to control the prosthesis.
For the military patient, who may be required to carry up to 45kg in theatre, durability and robustness are important considerations.