The Power Of The Limb Loss and Limb Difference Community
The new podcast is out. And this time it is hosted by the always amazing Sydney Marshburn. You know Sydney from her quarterly column here at The Active Amputee. In this month' podcast episode, Sydney reflects about the past year, the progress that has been made in terms of prosthetic devices and accessibility to modern adaptive technologies all around the globe, and the power of community. So lean back and enjoy the end of the year episode of the podcast.
The Show Notes And Additional Information
During the show, Sydney talks about progress on numerous fronts. If you want to dive deeper in some of the areas she mentioned, learn more, and do your won researche here is a list of sources to get you started. These include the scientific studies, clinical reviews, and news articles that informed the sections on prosthetic innovation, sensory feedback, osseointegration, and the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.
- MIT – Tissue-Integrated Bionic Knee (2025): https://news.mit.edu/2025/bionic-knee-integrated-into-tissue-can-restore-natural-movement-0710
- Smithsonian – Overview of New Bionic Knee Technology (2025): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-new-bionic-knee-is-changing-the-game-for-lower-leg-amputees-180987097
- Advances in Myoelectric Neuroprosthetics – Narrative Review (2025): https://journals.lww.com/atn/fulltext/2025/12000/advances_in_myoelectric_neuroprosthetics__a.6.aspx
- Research Progress on Modern Bionic Hands – MDPI (2025): https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/7/891
- Sensory Feedback in Upper-Limb Prosthetics – ResearchGate (2025): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381857668_Sensory_feedback_in_upper_limb_prosthetics_advances_and_challenges
- Artificial Proprioception – Global Research Overview (2025): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12013951
- Review of Osseointegration for Future Prosthetic Use (2023): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375137411_Review_of_Exploring_the_Future_of_Prosthetics_Using_Osseointegration_Technology
- Emerging Value of Osseointegration for Intuitive Prosthetic Use (2024): https://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/2024/05000/emerging_value_of_osseointegration_for_intuitive.72.aspx
- Robotic Prostheses & Neuromuscular Interfaces – MDPI (2025): https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/9/804
- 2025 Overview of Top Advanced Prosthetic Limbs: https://orthoticslimited.com/blog/top-5-advanced-prosthetic-limbs
- Full Medalist List – 2025 World Para Athletics Championships (New Delhi): https://www.paralympic.org/news/new-delhi-2025-world-championships-here-are-all-medallists
- ESPN Coverage – India’s Medal Haul at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships: https://www.espn.com/athletics/story/_/id/46510333/india-2025-world-para-athletics-championship-review-best-live-hype-record-22-medal-haul
Listen To The Episode Right Here
Guest post by Sydney Marshburn is a left above-knee amputee since 2021. Passionate about advocating for people with disabilities, she openly shares her story with the world through social media and is a mentor to those facing chronic illness/limb loss. Sydney dreams of representing Team USA at the LA2028 Paralympic Games. Follow Sydney’s journey on Instagram.
Further Reading
I learned to cycle after an amputation
Today’s article is all about cycling and how it helped Stephen from South Africa’s wonderful Western Cape to come back after a tragic motorcycle accident. The idea for the interview arose during a chat with Jen from ClickMedical, who mentioned Stephen and his inspiring outdoor adventures and brokered the contact. „Thanks Jen I really appreciate these contacts!“ Here is my interview with Stephen. Enjoy! Read more
We can finally adjust our sockets
The September episode of the The Active Amputee Podcast is out. This time, I have the pleasure of chatting with Joe Mahon, an experienced prosthetist from the United States of America, the inventor of the adjustable socket, and one of the founders of Click Medical (one of my strategic partners and a great supported of this blog). Adjustable sockets have been a game changer for many amputees, enabling users to deal with limb volume fluctuation independently and on a day to day basis. Joe and I talk about the history of the adjustable socket, push-back from the industry, finally being recognized as one of the standards when it comes to patient care, and about exciting new developments for the wider limb loss and limb difference community. Read more
Healing power of nature
The days are getting longer, the summer is approaching quickly, and with it there are more and more opportunities to explore Mother Nature all around us and be outdoors and active. After weeks, months, years of Covid19-induced lockdowns and the long winter months, this is a welcome change for many of us. Good for the body, a treat for the soul. And - as we learn from Tiina today - people in Finland have a special word for this special bonding between people and the surrounding nature. Read more