Independence, commitment, and research: Lara Wilkin and her journey with modern arm prosthetics
Lara Wilkin is currently completing her doctorate with a focus on upper limb prosthetics. She speaks at international conferences on modern prosthetic technology. As the founder of the Arm Prosthesis Community and an amputation peer, she promotes education and exchange among those affected. Her diverse commitment stems from her own experiences with forearm amputation – and highlights the challenges of modern orthopaedic treatment and care.
Following complications from a bone fracture with bleeding, Lara Wilkin had her left forearm amputated in October 2019. Through closely coordinated care in the field of prosthetics and orthotics, consistently individualised functional training, and the precise construction of modern prosthetic systems, she has regained her independence. And much more than that: her personal experiences and technical curiosity became the starting point for active educational work, international networking, and research.
Special challenges in arm prosthetics
Even before the amputation, Lara Wilkin had researched the care process and informed herself about the possibilities and limitations. The team at Orthopädie-Technik Münsterland and arm prosthetics specialist André Wohlatz provided significant support. “Even at our first meeting, I felt very well cared for and understood, both personally and professionally,” says Lara Wilkin. André Wohlatz has many years of experience in arm prosthetics and is aware of the special challenges of this specialisation: “Arms and hands are part of the field of vision. These amputations are always visible and shape a person's appearance. This makes it even more important to be empathetic.”
Peer support as the missing link in the care system
Parallel to her rehabilitation, Lara Wilkin developed a desire to provide structured support to other affected individuals. Too often she had experienced the lack of independent networking and low-threshold exchange in the care system herself. “Beyond the medical aspect, it is often unclear what an amputation actually means, what challenges and questions arise in terms of care. The path to a new normal is exhausting, lengthy, rarely straightforward, and often associated with setbacks. It takes a lot of strength and support.” That's why Lara Wilkin trained as an amputee peer and founded the Arm Prosthesis Community in 2021. What began as a local initiative has developed into an international network. The community now provides peer support, exchange, and networking for people with amputations or malformations of the upper limbs, as well as for relatives and professionals in 27 countries.
Expertise in professional and international discourse
Even before her international focus, Lara Wilkin was active in professional committees, associations, and exchange formats at the state and federal level and contributed to the further development of care and peer structures. She now also contributes her expertise at the international level and is actively involved in the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO). She regularly attends world congresses, specialist summits, and international conferences, gives lectures, trains specialist audiences, and actively participates in interdisciplinary discussions on the further development of prosthetics.
User perspective as an important impetus for prosthesis development
With all her experience, one thing is clear to Lara Wilkin: she wants to present modern prosthetics and orthotics in a differentiated way, beyond exaggeration or deficit narratives: “Technical performance alone is not enough. Only when a prosthesis can be accepted as part of one's own body and self-image does it unfold its true potential. To achieve this, users should be much more involved in development processes. After all, technical innovation arises where real challenges are understood, critically questioned, and openly discussed. Constructive feedback is a key driver for further development.”
Research at the interface of technology and healthcare practice
Lara Wilkins' commitment to education and networking has always gone hand in hand with her curiosity about the technical aspects of prosthetics. In order to be able to educate others even better, she focuses on her own advanced training, for example by constantly testing new prosthetic systems, and ultimately studied prosthetics. She is now pursuing a doctorate at the Medical University of Vienna with a focus on upper limb prosthetics. Her work is at the interface of technology, function, healthcare practice, and the user perspective.
Trust and shared learning in long-term care
Orthopedic technician André Wohlatz remains an important companion to this day. Lara Wilkin visits him every four to six weeks to have her forearm prosthesis fitted. This makes it clear that, in addition to technical expertise, the personal level is essential for successful care: “Working together is about trust, understanding, and taking the customer's concerns and your own task seriously,” says André Wohlatz. After all, the goal for those affected is to to actually use their medical aids and not give up when problems arise. Lara Wilkin is certain that she has found the best solution for her care together with André Wohlatz. “He didn't reject anything, but was always willing to try out all options. We were able to learn together – I wish this experience for others too,” says Lara Wilkin.
Lara Wilkin will participate in the OTWorld 2026 congress programme with five presentations:
May 19 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Individualized prosthesis training as the key to functional and psychosocial rehabilitation for arm amputations in free papers “Innovations in Design, Materials, and Training – Pathways to Individualised Prosthetic Treatment and Care”
May 19 | 12:15–1:30 p.m. | Individualized myoelectric orthoprosthesis for birth trauma plexus palsy: Planning test phase for innovative care in free papers “Impulses for Tomorrow – Diverse Ideas from Prosthetics and Orthotics”
May 20 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Acceptance, embodiment, and individualization in an intercultural comparison – results of a multicenter survey in free papers “The Future of Arm Prosthetics – Treatment and Care in Transition”
May 20 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. | Embodiment of myoelectric orthoprostheses for functional rehabilitation in upper limbs in poster presentation “Poster presentations with short lectures – Prosthetics, amputation surgery, training/job profile, biomechanics, and foot and shoe/orthopaedic footwear technology”
May 20 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. | Interdisciplinary orthoprosthetic care for CRPS-related contractures: innovative case study on limb preservation in free papers “Poster Presentations with Short Lectures - Prosthetics, Amputation Surgery, Education, Biomechanics and Foot and Shoe / Orthopaedic Footwear Technology”
