MARCEL MICHITSCH FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK ONTO THE RACE TRACK WITH A PROSTHESIS AND K-COM
ONE LEGGED RACER: GIVING UP WAS NEVER AN OPTION
Scan instead of plaster cast: the modern 3D scan of the prosthesis was the first step towards a customized K-COM knee brace for Marcel's prosthetic leg.
With the prosthesis, he is now doing better than ever before. And after a brief stint on the German para-snowboard team, he returned to motorcycling: „Once you've got gasoline in your blood, you just can't get rid of it.“
Marcel Michitsch is a fighter who has had to prove time and again that giving up is not an option for him. Now in his mid-thirties, he is competing for the KTM Sturm Team in the German Enduro Cup for the first time. However, it has been a long road to get here. After his accident, he was initially in a coma for a few days. Before he could think about sport again, he had to learn to cope with everyday life in rehab. In the meantime, you hardly notice his prosthesis and when he takes off his motocross pants after a race, he often looks into astonished faces.
When craftsmanship, high-tech and art merge, the result is a unique piece made of carbon and titanium, or for short a K-COM knee brace. You can read all about the K-COM here.
„Wow, it was really you who rode so well earlier“, he has heard several times in the paddock. The recognition from his fellow competitors has now motivated him to compete in the German Enduro Cup. He is preparing himself professionally for this challenge with a special fitness and nutrition plan. The last missing piece of the puzzle was the optimal protective equipment. Since his knee joint could be saved during the amputation, he needs protectors for it, just like any other rider. There was nothing suitable ready-made, so a customized fitting was the best option. At ORTEMA, we have been working with world-class athletes such as Antonio Cairoli and Manuel Lettenbichler in the motocross and enduro sector for many years. And as a partner of the German Para Ski Team, we are very familiar with the special care required by para-athletes. That was reason enough for Marcel Michitsch to come to us in Markgröningen. In keeping with the rest of his story, Marcel's treatment was also a real challenge.
The biggest challenge was attaching the K-COM to the prosthesis. A self-developed fastener that snaps into the prosthesis when tightened provided the solution.
Marcel Michitsch went to the opening race in Uelsen with suitable knee orthoses in his luggage. There he was able to finish in the points on the very first day. On the second day, he was slowed down by a crash. However, as giving up has never been an option for him, he quickly picked himself up again and finished the third race of the season in Waldkappel just one week later with a smile on his face. We are looking forward to the rest of the season and are keeping our fingers crossed for the "One Legged Racer".
If you want to find out more about Marcel Michitsch, follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/one_legged_racer
