“Through intense rehabilitation and determination, I have overcome adversity and taken on the world. I have learnt to ski, and continued to ride and compete in motocross competitions around the country.” Michael Lewis

In 2008, Corporal Michael Lewis was injured whilst serving in Afghanistan. With only 6 weeks left on his second tour before he returned home. Michael was engaged by enemy forces and during an intense fire-fight was hit by an explosion. He was left with blast wounds which nearly severed his left arm, shrapnel wounds to his left knee and blast wounds to his right leg which led to a below knee amputation. The injuries led to him being medically discharged from the army and life as Michael knew it was changed forever, consequently his dream of serving in the British Armed Forces was over. 

Determined not to allow his amputation dictate his life, Michael started to set himself new goals. By 2015, after completing the British Touring Car Championship with the ‘Support our Paras’ team as a mechanic, he was determined to take part in future racing as a competitor. Michael joined forces with Kartforce, a unique team of endurance racing, where he competed in a variety of races from two to twenty four hours. Although he was thrilled with his new accomplishments, Michael felt his movements were inhibited with his prosthesis and decided to research further into prosthetic feet designed for more active users, where he discovered The London Prosthetic Centre. Michael met with Abdo and after his initial consultation, Abdo designed a gym and motocross prosthesis fitted with a BioDapt Versa foot specifically built to offer customisable performance for sporting application. In no time at all, Michael was back on his bike performing better than ever. 

With his success on the racing track, Michael was invited to take on a new challenge and join Blesma for the winter sports adventure in Colorado. With Abdo’s knowledge and expertise, Michael turned straight to him to help design a ski foot. When designing the ski foot, Abdo’s main aim was to achieve symmetry for both the lower limbs when skiing. In order to do so, the prosthesis must be well suspended and not hinder Michael’s range of movement when skiing. The finished prosthesis is a lightweight carbon fibre frame with a custom rubber made knee joint to provide maximum control and manoeuvrability, allowing Michael to take corners close to the ground.