Movao BTS: Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games ❄️
Published on March 18, 2026
Twenty-one Movao members joined us live for a very special online experience, going behind the scenes with the Ottobock technical team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
It gave us a real insight into a side of the Paralympics that most people never get to see — the fast-moving, highly skilled work happening quietly in the background to keep athletes competition-ready.
At any Paralympic Games, every second counts. Athletes depend on their equipment performing at its very best, and that is where Ottobock's technical team steps in — like superheroes behind the scenes.
During our live session, we were able to see just how much care, precision and quick thinking go into this work. After the Games ended, Ottobock also shared the full scale of the support provided across the three Paralympic villages in Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Predazzo.
In total, the team carried out 495 repairs during the Games.
To make that happen, 86 technicians worked across the three centres, representing 17 nationalities and speaking 18 languages. They provided repairs and technical support for wheelchairs, prostheses, orthoses, sledges, monoskis and other assistive devices, both in the main workshops and at mobile repair stations based directly at competition venues.
Looking more closely at the figures, 42% of repairs were wheelchair-related, 14% involved prosthetic devices, and 11% were orthotic repairs.
The team also carried out 24 emergency interventions at competition venues, helping athletes get to the start line on time — sometimes just moments before a race.
Ottobock has been providing this repair service at the Paralympic Games since 1988, offering free support to all competing athletes, regardless of which products they use.
What stayed with me most, though, were the human stories behind the statistics.
During our live event, we asked the team if there was one repair story that had really stayed with them. They shared a moment from a previous Paralympic Games, when an athlete arrived with a prosthesis that could no longer be repaired. Instead, the individual was left with a completely new one, in tears of happiness.
That story says so much about what this support service is really about. It is not just about fixing equipment. It is about helping athletes stay calm, feel confident, and have the best possible chance to perform at their best.
And even after our Movao live session with the team ended, more stories continued to emerge. In the days that followed, Ottobock shared further examples of the creativity, quick thinking and care their technicians brought to athletes throughout the competition.
Because of the unusually warm weather, Para cross-country skiing and Para biathlon athletes needed their race outfits shortened to help prevent overheating. Ottobock technicians adapted garments on the spot, even turning hats into headbands. For one two-time German medallist, the now-famous "short tights" became a lucky charm.
Then a French skier came for support after breaking his thumb and needed a way to protect it while competing. Two technicians created a bespoke splint. They took a plaster cast of his hand inside his ski glove, in the exact position he holds his pole, then used carbon fibre, resin and vacuum pressure to create a perfectly fitted support that stabilised his thumb throughout the race.
Finally, one of the most unexpected fixes of all: a member of the Mexican delegation arrived with a cracked bone-mouthpiece for his flute. The damage had affected the sound, so a technician carefully repaired it with sealing resin and smoothed the surface. Moments later, the flute was playing perfectly again.
Together, these stories captured the spirit and importance of the technical workshop teams — no two days were ever the same, and every situation called for a mix of technical expertise, calm thinking and creativity.
We felt truly honoured that the Movao community was invited to this special backstage event to witness the fantastic work they do firsthand. It was a rare chance to get a taste of what life is like for a Paralympic athlete that most people never get to experience.
Due to the success of this event, we're also excited to launch Movao Circles 💛 — our new online community sessions that create even more opportunities to connect, share and support one another.