PITTSBURGH: Students from the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia have traveled to the University of Pittsburgh in the US, one of the top schools for prosthetics and orthotics to learn how to make custom braces and replacement limbs for patients and to develop the science once they return to the Kingdom.
Students and researchers at University of Pittsburgh are working on new advancements including returning a sense of touch to amputees and perfecting existing technologies to ensure artificial limbs fit perfectly and allow the military veterans and other patients a renewed quality of life.
“First of all, we normally assess the patient, evaluate the whole condition,” Abdulaziz Aromaih, a Saudi prosthetic and orthotic student told Arab News.
“Then we'll try to fabricate a limb, which is an artificial limb. Then after that we will do some gait training exercises, some exercises, and we can work with the OTs and PTs just to have a better outcome with the patients,” he added.
As they continue their studies and develop capstone projects that may one day revolutionize rehabilitative health care, their sights are set on improving the world of medicine for Saudi Arabia.
“At first I didn’t believe in O.P, then after having the patient, he's depressed about his condition, then you do some fabrication, you try your best to help this person,” Aromaih said.
“He didn't give up after having both limbs lost, surprisingly, he got involved with a powerlifting competition, so I guess it's a good example as a motivation to others.”
Fellow prosthetic and orthotic studen, Eman Almalki, added: “I'm so proud to bring back this experience back to my country and proud to be part of this program. I hope to help in establishing this department in this profession back in my country.”
