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How one Ukrainian inventor is revolutionizing prosthetics and rehabilitation

In ancient times, artificial limbs were made from wood and customized for individual patients. Fast forward to modern-day Ukraine and Dmytro Balandin is channeling ancient methods to create a wooden prosthetic prototype which he says could revolutionize the way we look at artificial limbs and rehabilitation. He uses basic tools.

 “The main tools are these: a vice, a drill, a saw with small cutters and this sandpaper,” says Dmytro.

Balandin has created a type of assisting prostheses for patients recovering from injuries below the waistline. Leaning on the wooden handrails, a person can keep balance and move at the same time:

“It’s easy to make a step: the person moves their weight on the support leg, and relieves the leg making the step. And with a simple movement of the hand, the patient is able to move his leg forward.”

Standing on both feet is one of the most difficult tasks for people recovering from serious injuries, Doctor Anton Ivashchenko tells us. This is why Dmytro Balandin’s invention can become a major tool in the rehabilitation process.

 “People can use it for walking when they have lower back, knee, hip, or joint injuries. This new method allows them to be more independent during the recovery process,” says a rehabilitation specialist Anton Ivashchenko.

Dmytro Balandin has spent some 30 US dollars to create his prototype. His model weighs around fifteen kilograms but he hopes to make it lighter and mobile next year.

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