The shark from Jaws and the leg: Frank Purk creates prosthetic limbs that are as unique as their wearers

Imagine you are on a beach vacation and witness how a shark bites into the leg of a person. But the person doesn’t scream! That might be because the shark is part of the person’s prosthetic leg. Admittedly, it’s a very unusual and unique prosthetic device but that’s how the orthopedic technician Frank Purk from Hamburg, Germany, like to call attention to the design of artificial limbs.

In this REHACARE interview, Frank Purk explains how the design of orthotics can specifically help children, admits that people don’t necessarily need the famous shark from the movie Jaws on their prosthetic leg and describes how he tries to use functionality and design to make his customers embrace their condition and proudly show it.

Mr. Purk, when most people hear the words “prosthetic device“, they conjure up all sorts of images – ranging from wooden to cyborg legs. What does prosthetics mean to you as an expert?

Frank Purk: It’s actually the wide range of options you just mentioned. It ranges from a wooden leg all the way to processor-controlled knee joints I have to program on the computer and where I need knowledge of biomechanics. But that’s something we prepare our customers for. Some people come to us fully prepared and know that we are familiar with all notions of prosthetic legs. Having said that, our goal is for people to not be afraid to show their arms or legs and be very open about it. That’s my main concern.

How did you come up with the idea for your prosthetic designs?

Purk: I have been an orthopedic technician for the past 15 years and my job has always been very artistic. Even a skin-toned leg requires you to create a calf.  I was always able to make a leg more colorful, but there were limitations to it. That being said, I always had fun creating and things took off from there.

As an orthopedic technician, you intimately get to know people who have lost a part of their body. Do you notice any changes during the process – from the time they first enter your store and get fitted to the time they leave with their finished prosthetic leg?

Purk: That really depends on the individual. It’s a process and you are sometimes privy to internal struggles. In the best-case scenario, after years of service, you have educated customers who have integrated their prosthetic device into their lives to where it is no longer their defining feature and to where people no longer stare at them at the store because they wear an artificial limb. Conversely, as a technician I am anxious to quickly fix a prosthetic if it breaks and my customers are no longer used to walking on crutches. That being said, I also encounter young people who have googled extensively and who aim to take part in the Paralympics. But it might take years before they get used to their changed settings. It takes time until the prosthetic limb no longer rubs and causes soreness and until you know how to handle it perfectly and nobody defines you based on a missing body part.

Has there been a general mind shift – away from hiding the prosthetic limb and moving towards more openness in coping with the amputation?

Purk: I have customers, who open up and other customers, who don’t want to go there. That’s something I first had to learn and understand. In those cases, I simply create more classy themes and high-quality items.

I should also point out that these fully personalized prosthetics are just a small portion of my day-to-day business. Only one out of one-hundred customers might be willing to pay the extra 1,000 or 2,000 Euros for the prosthetic device. This process also takes a long time. We primarily design prosthetic socks, liners or leg belts and straps. This doesn’t require any extra work: a belt is a belt, whether it’s white or whether it features a flame motif – it really makes no difference. A resource like that might cost 100 Euros all in all. Customers are more willing to pay this amount versus paying 1,000 Euros out of pocket.

No question about it, our customer are getting younger and younger, but the majority is still around 60 years old. That being said, today’s 60-year-old is very different from a 60-year-old person 20 years ago. I know people with war disabilities whose primary concern was for the prosthetic to be inconspicuous and who greatly emphasized an esthetic and cosmetic appeal. Now my customers are between the ages of 30 and 60. Based on the technology that’s involved in prosthetics, cosmetic issues are no longer an issue.

How is the feedback on your prosthetic devices – not only from your customers but also from other people?

Frank Purk: There are many wonderful stories. A shark-themed leg obviously causes quite a stir. To be fair, most of them are actually swimming prosthetic legs that simply can’t be covered by swim trunks. Wearers have always stood out in this scenario. However, the response and joy people feel over the fact that they no longer want to hide their leg because it features a cool design, makes our hard work pay off. Of course, we are delighted when people who visit Hamburg stop by and give us a bottle of wine because they like our work. There are many great storries, but my day-to-day work, especially my work with children is what I enjoy the most.

We also have a pediatric orthotics section that has just opened. There is simply nothing more exciting than a child who loves his "Star Wars"-themed leg brace that isn’t your typical blue. So it’s not always the tattooed extroverts that come to me to get an eye-catching device. Needless to say, it can help, even from a psychological vantage point. Especially with children, I have seen that they accept their auxiliary tool better because they are not ashamed of showing it at school. Compared to a skin-toned limb, children prefer to wear an unusual design and tend to also make more progress in therapy.

Earlier, you mentioned processor-controlled knee joints. What do you think about 3D-printed prosthetic limbs? Do you think they will be a viable option in the near future?

Frank Purk: A whole prosthetic limb is definitely not an option, but knees and feet might be. But building or shaping a shaft is not something that can simply be printed. That’s the job of a skilled orthopedic technician. That being said, I could envision 3D-printed orthotics, especially since they are cost-effective. This would also fit quite well with our system, which is becoming increasingly standardized.