How I do it, as an amputee

"The world's as big as it ever was! Like me, you will learn new ways to enjoy it; you can do it on one leg." — Chris Kunkeler, Movao Netherlands member 😅😎 

Those first few months after my amputation were tough. I felt completely stuck at home — like the walls were closing in a bit. I think a lot of people feel that way at first. You suddenly go from doing everything yourself to depending on others to get from A to B. For me, rehab at Rijndam twice a week quickly became the highlight of my week. It wasn't just about recovery; it was about getting out, seeing people, and feeling a bit of life and freedom again.

I'll never forget the feeling of becoming more confident on my crutches. Suddenly, I could take short walks on my own and my world felt a little bigger again. I even started walking to Rijndam for my sessions — no more waiting on lifts or arranging rides. I had many lovely friends and family members who helped me out, and I'm grateful for their support. But let's be honest — there's nothing quite like being able to do things on your own again.

Then came the next stage of my journey, learning to walk with my prosthesis. My independence dipped again for a while because, of course, I had to relearn everything from scratch. Luckily, it came back relatively quickly, and soon enough I was out walking, hopping on buses, and generally making my world a bit bigger again. I've always had a bit of a love-hate thing with public transport, but I'll admit — it came in handy this time 😎

A few weeks later, my physio said the magic words: "I think you're ready to cycle again." First, it was indoors at the gym, and then, just a few days later, outside. She rode alongside me for that first time, and from that moment on, it was like the world opened up all over again. Since then, I've been cycling everywhere — to Rijndam, into town, even a 20km round trip to visit my niece Usha in Rhoon.

Not long after that, I took my first train journey as an amputee — to have dinner with friends. It went better than I expected! Sure, it's more tiring navigating platforms, etc, but it's absolutely doable. Each new thing I try adds another little layer to my confidence. I've even managed to commute to work a few times on the metro. I still catch a lift home, but hey, it's progress!

Next up? Flying. We're finally heading back to Málaga — our happy place! I know that airport security with a prosthesis may present challenges. Still, I've received lots of valuable tips and advice thanks to an Ottobock and Movao live webinar I joined recently (you can watch it here on YouTube). It was brilliant chatting with people from all over — the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and even South Africa — all sharing their travel experiences and the barriers they face. The webinar shone a spotlight on Ottobock's campaign (The Invisible Class), which highlights the invisible barriers that disabled travellers deal with. If you haven't already, give it a watch — it's beautifully done.

Another big step (literally) was learning to drive again. After 35 years of using my right leg for braking and accelerating, switching to my left leg was an interesting experience. My first emergency stop nearly cost me my front teeth — thankfully, I managed to scrape them off the dashboard 😂. But after five lessons and a test with the CBR, I passed! Soon, a left-foot accelerator will be fitted in our car, and then I'll be fully back on the road. The world's as big as it ever was — and like me, you learn new ways to enjoy it; you can do it on one leg 😅😎

As for sport, I'm still climbing at Rijndam. I'm not sure if it'll last long-term, but right now it's brilliant fun. It's definitely more of a challenge with one leg, but that's half the appeal. I've also been trying out a running blade, and next week I'll be training with a former Paralympic coach to see if running is still my thing. My first few steps looked more like a drunk deer on ice, but we've all got to start somewhere 😂

I've also dusted off my old road bike — it's been hanging in the garage for years. My sports therapist and I are starting with roller training to get used to clipping in again and tweaking the setup to suit my new balance and movement. Once that's fixed, I'll be building up the miles. I've really missed long-distance cycling — can't wait to get back to it.

Tennis, though - that's another story. I've accepted that I will never play at the level I used to. I'll still have a hit with friends for fun, but my competitive tennis days are behind me. Lately, I've been hearing great things about padel — it's supposed to be really inclusive — so I might give that a try, or maybe badminton or squash. I've never really played those sports before, so at this point, any level will feel like a win 😉

Sadly, I'm in my final weeks of physio at Rijndam 😢. We're working on the finishing touches — stairs (still terrifying), and improving my gait, which still has a bit of a wobble. It's not bad, just not very efficient. My physio's been helping me strengthen the muscles in my stump, hip, and glutes that I haven't used properly in years. More core work, more sweat, more sore muscles, but the hard work is paying off.

I've also started easing back into work — a few meetings here and there, both online and in person. The welcome back has been so warm. Everyone has been genuinely happy to see me and hear about how things are going.

So yes — things are looking up. I'm still exhausted all the time, body and mind, but at least I sleep like a log. There's clearly still a lot of processing going on under the surface, and patience has never been my strong suit, so I wish it would all just hurry up. But hey, work in progress.

More to come. See you soon, Chris Kunkeler.

Thank you, Chris, for sharing your real-life account of your amputation and rehabilitation journey — it's wonderful to see how far you've come.

We'd love to celebrate more stories like yours! If you have a personal story to share or know someone whose journey deserves to be featured, get in touch with me (Rebecca Legon), for consideration in our Member Story of the Month feature.

Let's continue to highlight the resilience, strength, and powerful spirit within our Movao community!