Part 1: Christiaan Greef’s Inspiring Journey as an Amputee

Introduction to Christiaan Greef’s Story

Christiaan Greef’s journey began with a life-altering bike accident that left him in need of a prosthetic leg. During this challenging time, he met Marco du Plooy, a skilled prosthetist, through a recommendation from Maria, a friend whose wife had also undergone an amputation. Marco’s expertise and compassionate approach would prove invaluable as Christiaan embarked on regaining mobility and independence with a prosthetic limb.

The Initial Prosthetic Leg and Struggles

Christiaan’s journey with his first prosthetic leg was marked by significant challenges and discomfort. The initial socket, a laminated design, failed to accommodate his short 7-centimetre femur stump adequately. This ill-fitting socket caused considerable pain and limited his mobility severely. Initially, Christiaan could only manage around 400 steps per day before the discomfort became unbearable, forcing him to remove the prosthetic and return to his wheelchair for relief. Even after increasing his daily step count to 430, the pain remained excruciating, making it clear that a different approach was needed to improve his quality of life and independence.

Working with Marco to Improve the Prosthetic

Recognising the need for change, Christiaan began collaborating closely with Marco to redesign the socket for better comfort and mobility. Open communication was crucial; Marco listened intently to Christiaan’s struggles with the first laminated socket. Together, they decided to try an open socket design that allowed Christiaan to control the fit with a strap around his residual limb. Although this new socket was a vast improvement, it was still not perfect. Christiaan could only manage around 400-430 steps per day before intense pain set in, but he refused to give up. They continued to work together, experimenting with different designs, until they eventually developed a socket that provided Christiaan with the comfort and mobility he desired.

Read more about Christiaans journey with Marco du Plooy in Part II.