From amputee to athlete

When he was just 4 and a half years old, Nate Clayton was run-over by a lawnmower and lost part of his leg. Now he is 15 years old and a freshman at North Harford, Adjusting to life as a member of the Hawks athletic program.
Clayton is currently on the NH tennis team and played on the soccer team this past fall as a left-wing on offense.
According to Clayton,his prosthetic limb never bothers him because the doctor’s try to prevent that from happening.
“We have to get it resized every 2 to 3 years,” stated Clayton about the prosthetic. “The design has also changed somewhat.”
Clayton’s prosthetic is an ankle prosthetic that is custom made for him.
Because of the the prosthetic is designed , Clayton has to prepare a little differently for workouts.
“I also do stretching techniques, because my foot doesn’t move in the prosthetic so I have to work up my calf muscle.”
Prosthetics are made by orthotics and prosthetics, who evaluate, fabricate and custom fit artificial limbs and orthopedic braces, according to Orthotics and Prosthetics. Clayton’s most recent prosthetic was given to him this past February.
Prosthetics can be made with flexible polymers that increase comfort for patients. Other materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and titanium can also be used to reduce the prosthetics weight and increase its strength and durability, according to O&P Technology. The design of a prosthetic is also affected by what activities the person plans to partake in.
Clayton’s foot surgery was performed by Dr. Michael C. Ain at Johns Hopkins hospital. Dr. Ain is an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and performs Orthopedic surgeries, according to the Johns Hopkins website. Orthopedics is the branch of medicine that deals with correcting the deformities of bones or muscles.