暗网禁区

CU Boulder graduate takes 鈥榓rtisanal鈥� approach to making prosthetics

When an 11-year-old llama named Bella broke her right hind leg in a gopher hole in 2010, her owners, Chuck Robuck and Trish Brandt-Robuck of Newcastle, Calif., chose to amputate rather than euthanize her.

But curious Bella loved wandering the couple鈥檚 ranch, and, unable to live the life she had known, fell into a depression. That鈥檚 when they called in 暗网禁区 graduate Michael Carlson (鈥�02KINE), a certified prosthetist, orthotist and 鈥渕edical artist鈥� who crafts prosthetic sockets.

As Will Rogers once noted, 鈥淭he best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter鈥攈e's got to just know.鈥� Carlson, 39, faced the same dilemma with Bella, and for the next three and a half months, he struggled to get her prosthetic interface鈥攖he part between the skin and artificial limb鈥攋ust right.

鈥淭here were huge setbacks,鈥� he says, 鈥渋ncluding a real communication barrier.鈥�

But after three tries, Carlson succeeded, and Bella has worn her leather-and-metal prosthetic leg for eight to 10 hours a day ever since.

鈥淚n her case, this was a life-saving procedure,鈥� he says.

This case was unique for Carlson, though, in an important way: Most of Carlson鈥檚 patients are humans.

鈥淚 really shine when someone walks well,鈥� he says, referring to his chosen profession as 鈥渁rtistry at the socket.鈥�

And not just walk. Among his most gratifying experiences are helping a man who lost his leg in a BASE jumping accident, who then made a successful jump from the bridge where the accident occurred, and the time he went snowboarding with a veteran for whom he鈥檇 created a sports prosthesis.

Carlson gives partial credit for his success to his early exposure to craftsmanship in his father鈥檚 woodworking shop, especially learning how to use a sewing machine, and his long love affair with ceramic wheel-throwing鈥攁ka pottery.

鈥淚鈥檝e described what I do to people as a medical art,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of an old profession, and the reality is that not much has changed with the interface between the device and the patient. My specialty is the design and fitting of the socket.鈥�

Carlson grew up in Grand Junction and decided to study kinesiology at CU Boulder, with a possible eye toward the health care field. He worked with Rodger Kram, professor of integrative physiology, and began focusing on prosthetics toward the end of his time in school.

Carlson, like many of his peers, got his start with , which has created devices for many famous clients, including a tail for Winter the dolphin, star of the movie 鈥淒olphin Tale.鈥� While working for the company, he graduated from various prosthetics and orthotics certificate programs, including a prosthetics and orthotics residency in New York City. In 2016 he left the company to start his own practice.

鈥淢y career path,鈥� Carlson notes, 鈥渉as been linear.鈥�

A prosthetics practice, he says, is similar to a dentist鈥檚 office. He is the clinician who designs and implements a treatment plan and follows up. But where many clinics have technicians to do the actual fabrication, Carlson is involved with all phases of the process.

It all starts with a patient鈥檚 healing after amputation, which can take six weeks to 12 months. When the patient is ready with a 鈥渉ealed and cylindrical limb,鈥� Carlson takes a cast and creates a prototype. Once he鈥檚 got the fit right, he creates a carbon laminate shell to fit the limb that attaches to prosthetic components.

Carlson has chosen to stick with a hands-on, 鈥渁rtisanal鈥� approach, despite the advent of such time-saving technologies as prefabricated sockets and 3D printing.

鈥淚 believe haste makes waste,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t takes a long time. It鈥檚 an intimate procedure. I really get to know my patients, and it鈥檚 so gratifying when I get to see them walk.鈥�

Going to school at CU, with its mountain backdrop and countless recreational opportunities, helped point Carlson toward his unconventional career鈥攁ll told, there are only about 2,000 people in the field in the United States, he says.

鈥淚 felt lucky to be there, and I felt an obligation to make an impact or strive toward significance and give back,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 invested in my education and wanted to use it; I wanted to use my degree in my work and keep building on my CU
education. My job is all about helping people鈥濃�攁nd, it must be noted, the occasional grateful llama.听