Stronger, Older, and Still Moving: Updating Our Prosthetic Expectations for Seniors

On the drive into work today, a story caught my attention: A new report on centenarians shows that nearly half do strength training at least once a week, 36% practice stress-relief activities like meditation, 67% report eating a healthy diet, 42% regularly walk or hike, and about 30% still enjoy gardening. NPR

This mirrors what we see every day. Health and wellness are now part of everyday conversation—especially here in Silicon Valley. After the COVID years with closed gyms, people seem even more committed to staying active, from medications like Ozempic to community programs like our Prosthetic Solutions Fitness for Life gym. Since our inception, we’ve focused on “confidence training,” growing from occasional Amputee Walking School events to monthly, weekly, and now twice‑weekly group classes.

Most new patients attend these classes early on, then taper off as they return to work and daily routines. Yet the gym keeps growing—and the average participant is now over 60. That’s a big shift. Historically, when an older adult lost a limb, especially due to vascular disease or cancer, many clinicians and families quietly assumed they would not live very long after amputation.

The statistics are sobering. For major lower‑limb amputation (often related to vascular disease or diabetes), about 60–70% of people are alive at 1 year, 35–50% at 3–5 years, and roughly 15–30% at 10 years, with better survival for below‑knee amputations and for those who receive a prosthesis and participate in rehabilitation. From these statistics, we know that participation in structured rehab and prosthetic training is consistently linked with higher rates of independent walking, better mobility scores, longer walking distances, and improved balance and endurance. 

What feels different now is the mindset of many of our older patients. There is a real eagerness to get as strong and as fit as possible and to build a supportive community. Community, strength training, and regular exercise are key ingredients in healthier aging—and insurers have noticed. Many health plans now include fitness benefits, and we are a participating gym for all major plans.

Given all this, it is time to rethink how we treat senior prosthetic users. If people want to stay active, and engage in serious rehab, at any age, shouldn’t they also have access to the most appropriate technology? Insurers promote wellness programs because healthier members save money over time; the same logic applies to prosthetic care. Yes, advanced prosthetic technology can carry a higher upfront cost—but if a device is proven safe, supports mobility, reduces falls, and helps people stay active and engaged, isn’t that exactly the kind of technology we should be using for everyone who wants to stay active regardless of age?

We have the tools, the data, and the patient demand. The question is whether the health community and insurers are willing to update expectations, to match the way our older adults are truly living now.

In 2026 So EveryBODY Can Move California will be submitting new legislation to amend current law for prosthetics and orthotics requiring plans to cover devices used to for sports, recreation, and swimming that are used to support health. It's a start.