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Jared B. was 19 years old when his left leg was amputated as a result of a rare type of bone cancer. After a below-knee amputation, Jared came to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for outpatient physical therapy. He also worked with the hospital’s Prosthetics & Orthotics team to get fitted for a prosthetic leg. While it can typically take up to a year to learn how to walk with a prosthesis, Jared reached this milestone in three months.
Jared’s next goal was to get a special prosthesis created specifically for athletic use so he could get back to what he loves most — sports and running.
After two years spent developing balance and coordination skills, agility and strength, Jared received his custom running prosthesis — decorating it with decals in the colors of his high school and college teams.
“I’ve been an athlete all my life. I played tennis, golf, baseball and basketball all through high school,” he said. “Now I can play them all again.”
Jared Makes Great Strides & Discovers the Paratriathlon
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Today, at age 25, Jared continues to propel forward. He recently got married to his wife, Kasondra, who has supported him throughout his journey with bone cancer and limb loss. Jared, Kasondra and his extended family are taking a trip to Alaska — making up for a vacation he had to cancel a few years ago due to his amputation.
Jared also is motivated to participate in sports at an even higher level. Recently, he achieved a significant personal milestone: completing his first paratriathlon, which includes a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a 5-kilometer run. He said he was already familiar with triathlons — an activity he enjoyed with his dad while growing up — so competing in a paratriathlon was particularly meaningful. Plus, Jared came in third place in his division (pictured on the far right below) and is already preparing for his next race.
To stay conditioned, Jared cross trains at an intense level throughout the week — taking 40- to 50-mile bike rides, lifting weights two days a week and regularly going for 2-mile runs.
Jared alternates between his two prostheses, selecting the one best suited to each activity. He wears his everyday prosthetic leg for regular activities, including walking, lifting, golfing and light running. He uses this prosthesis for the cycling portion of a paratriathlon, as the prosthetic foot clips easily to the bike pedal.
His activity-specific prosthesis has a special running blade for high-impact activities and running at higher speeds and longer distances. The curved carbon blade compresses under load and rebounds, acting like a spring and providing high-energy return, forward propulsion and increased push-off power.
His ultimate goal is to participate in the Paralympic Games, and he is seeking out qualifying events to prepare over the next few years.
In addition to the sense of achievement that comes with competition, Jared said his return to sports has had a positive impact on both his physical and mental health since his amputation.
“Just a few years ago I couldn’t do basic things without getting winded, but now I’m back to where I was prior to my surgery … or actually better off than before surgery,” said Jared. “Returning to an active lifestyle and competition has helped build my confidence.”
