Research & Development

Innovation is the lifeblood of a successful, progressive prosthetic practice. Simply making the same prosthesis over and over ensures only that patients will never reach their full potential.

At A Step Ahead, we engage in ongoing research and development in an effort to improve our patients’ lives. Our R&D team, led by Erik Schaffer, C.P., custom fabricates prosthetic components for the unique demands of our patients. Using lightweight materials, the strongest metals and alloys and applying more than 60 years of combined experience in the prosthetic industry, the R&D team makes parts that are available nowhere else in the world.

Many patient’s have special needs, and that is where our R&D experience becomes essential.  For example, we design prosthetic limbs for children with congenital anomalies.  Standard prosthetic components cannot come close to providing the comfort and functionality that our unique components can.  Also, we design creative, new components for athletes that allow them to reach their fullest potential.  In addition to our prosthetic products, we even adapt other sports equipment, such as bicycles, wheelchairs, and skates, to make them more usable by amputees and other people with special interests and needs.

Under Erik’s direction, the R&D team has proven its ability to take a concept and convert it into a viable patient product. For example, A Step Ahead’s custom silicone skin covers, The Skin Tones system ™ is the culmination of years of research and development. In addition to our in-house development, the R&D team works with major manufacturers to test new prosthetic products before their release in the marketplace. In 2005, A Step Ahead conducted pre-market release testing of Ossur’s Power Knee, the first bionic component available to amputees. A Step Ahead was the first private facility in the United States to test this device and is an official provider of Bionic Technology.  We have also worked closely with Ossur on the release of the Proprio Foot & Ankle system, providing detailed feedback on the product to the engineers and designers of this innovative technology.

Our R&D team has designed:

• Custom modular components
• Customized liner systems
• Custom pediatric prosthesis
• Sports prosthesis
• Custom racing wheelchairs and handcycles  

Our commitment to research and development is a core element of our prosthetic care and treatment.  It ensures that we always remain on the cutting edge of prosthetic technology and that our patients receive the very best. Our research and development keeps you A Step Ahead of everyone else. View some of our innovations at the R&D gallery by clicking HERE.

Live Life without Limitations!