According to my orthopedic surgeon, if I break my right femur he’ll have to amputate the entire leg. That’s why, since going into remission in 2001, I’ve built dozens of leg braces to enable me to participate in the myriad activities he would prefer I avoid.
I don’t have many close-up pictures of the contraptions I’ve built, but I’ve experimented with foam, plastic, casting plaster, springs, fabrics, buckles and, of course, lots of duct tape to build braces for whitewater kayaking, skiing (standing and sitting), rock climbing, cattle roundups and other activities.