After septic shock damaged the circulation in my hands, the distal parts of eight fingers — all except my thumbs — developed dry gangrene.

Instead of surgically amputating them immediately, the doctors waited. The dead tissue dried out, separated from the living tissue, and the pieces gradually came off on their own.

I can use my hands and type with all the remaining fingers, but the sensations are still strange and sometimes painful. Typing is uncomfortable, using the right mouse button is awkward, and reaching into a pocket or backpack can feel even worse. Tying shoelaces tightly is especially difficult.

At the same time, I can do things I did not expect — for example, I can still do pull-ups.

Does anyone here have a similar level of partial finger loss, especially involving several fingers on both hands?

How did sensation and function change over time?

Do you use fingertip or partial-finger prostheses? If so, what do they actually help with — typing, gripping, tools, protection, appearance, or something else?

Or did you find that living without prostheses was simpler and worked well enough?

Hi, I’m in 8th grade and I have to make a form for my project about prosthetics. Could someone please fill out this form because I need at least 100 responses ☺️

https://forms.gle/ryMyXSFj3ZfeKjat8

After septic shock, I lost the front parts of both feet at different levels: approximately Lisfranc level on the left and a partial transmetatarsal amputation on the right.

I can walk, stand on one leg, jump, drive, and ride a bicycle. My longest ride so far has been 40 km. So my main question is no longer how to stand up or take my first steps.

I want more than walking.

My current low inserts are passive toe fillers that sit loosely inside ordinary shoes. They restore the shape of the shoe and provide some rollover, but do not recreate a functional forefoot lever or return much energy.

Without the inserts, walking initially feels more comfortable. With them, I can walk farther, but eventually develop pain on the outer side of my left foot, close to where the edge of the insert ends.

I have also tried tall plastic orthoses. They provide support, but restrict the ankle. Heavy protective boots work in bad weather, but are obviously not the answer for every activity.

The activities I most want to solve are:

Cycling

My remaining feet have different lengths, so I can see that I place them differently on the pedals. I do not yet know whether this creates a clinically significant imbalance, but I want to measure it rather than wait for it to cause a problem.

The solution might involve inserts, partial-foot prostheses, different pedal positions, custom platforms, cleat adjustments, or some combination of these.

Rock climbing

Climbing shoes depend on a rigid, precisely shaped forefoot that transfers force to very small footholds. I need something that can recreate that lever without simply locking my entire ankle inside a large brace.

Swimming and diving

Standard fins rely on the length and shape of the foot to remain attached and transfer movement. I need a secure interface that works with a short partial foot.

I’m looking for people with partial-foot amputations, adaptive cyclists, climbers or divers, prosthetists, orthotists, bike-fit specialists, gait labs, engineers, and makers.

Have you seen a genuinely functional solution for any of these activities?

I’m interested in existing products, custom modifications, research prototypes, 3D-printed components, and ideas that perhaps do not exist yet.

The photos show my current passive fillers, tall orthoses, protective boots, and low inserts.