WAYNE DAVIS, COURTESY OF MIKE SCHULTZ (SNOWBIKECROSS)

Built for the Slopes

After a major injury, this athlete designed an artificial leg to help him return to winter sports

By Nell Durfee

From the February 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will integrate information about how prosthetic limbs are designed from two texts.

Lexile: 860L; 610L

Guided Reading Level: S

Since he was a teen, Mike Schultz has competed in extreme sports. They ranged from motocross to snowbikecross, a type of winter biking. In 2008, Schultz was competing in a snocross race, in which athletes speed over courses on special snowmobiles. In a rough patch, he flew off his bike and mangled his left leg badly. Doctors had to remove it above the knee.

Mike Schultz competes in extreme sports. He’s done so since he was a teen. They ranged from motocross to snowbikecross. That’s a type of winter biking. Schultz was in a snocross race in 2008. Athletes in this sport speed over courses on special snowmobiles. Schultz hit a rough patch. He hurt his left leg badly. Doctors had to remove it above the knee.

ALEX LIVESEY/GETTY IMAGES

Schultz spent six weeks learning to walk with a prosthesis, or artificial limb. The leg couldn’t absorb an impact without breaking. Schultz thought he’d never compete again.

In 2009, he heard about an event for athletes with disabilities at the Summer X Games. Schultz had always liked tinkering with machines. If he could build a better prosthesis, he might be able to return to the sports he loved. “That was my motivation,” says Schultz.

Schultz spent six weeks learning to walk again. He used a leg prosthesis. This artificial limb couldn’t absorb an impact without breaking. Schultz thought he’d never compete again.

Schultz heard about an event in 2009. It was for athletes with disabilities. It was at the Summer X Games. Schultz liked tinkering with machines. He wondered if he could build a better prosthesis. Then he could return to the sports he loved. “That was my motivation,” says Schultz.

A New Knee

First, Schultz focused on designing a better knee. The new prosthesis would need to be able to absorb the impact of a hard fall. It would also need to bend like a human knee.

Schultz sketched out his ideas. Working in a friend’s studio, he built a prototype, or an early version, of his design. He used lightweight, flexible aluminum. Schultz placed a shock absorber from a mountain bike inside. This device contains springs that absorb some of the force of an impact.

First, Schultz focused on designing a better knee. His original prosthesis couldn’t survive a hard impact. He needed one that could. And it needed to bend like a human knee.

Schultz sketched his ideas. He worked in a friend’s studio. He built a prototype. That’s an early version of a design. He used aluminum. This metal is lightweight and flexible. Schultz placed a shock absorber from a mountain bike inside. This device contains springs. They absorb some of the force of an impact.

COURTESY OF MIKE SCHULTZ

Schultz works on an early version of his prosthetic leg.

Schultz first tested his invention on local trails. It worked well. But at the Summer X Games, he landed hard on his motocross bike. The foot snapped! Still, Schultz managed to cross the finish line, placing second. “That was my first big triumph since becoming an amputee,” he says.

Schultz needed to redesign the prosthetic foot and ankle so that they wouldn’t break from the force of a hard landing. He decided to add a small shock absorber to the ankle. He also covered the foot with a layer of rubber to help it grip surfaces.

Schultz used his devices—called the Moto Knee and the Versa Foot—at the 2010 Winter X Games and won a gold medal in snocross. Thanks to his inventions, Schultz was better than ever.

Schultz tested his invention on local trails. It worked well. But at the Summer X Games he landed hard on his motocross bike. The foot snapped! Still, Schultz managed to cross the finish line in second place. “That was my first big triumph since becoming an amputee,” he says.

Schultz remade the prosthesis. He added a small shock absorber to the ankle. That way it wouldn’t break from the force of a hard landing. He covered the foot with a layer of rubber. That helped it grip surfaces.

Schultz called his devices the Moto Knee and the Versa Foot. He used them at the 2010 Winter X Games. He won a gold medal in snocross. Schultz was better than ever thanks to his inventions.

Game On!

Over time, Schultz met other athletes who wanted to use his prosthesis. So he founded a company, BioDapt, that makes devices designed for a variety of sports. It also makes prosthetic limbs for kids.

In 2018, Schultz won gold and silver medals in snowboarding at the Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He won a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing, China. There, Schultz was excited to see that 26 athletes from 11 countries used his devices. “That’s a whole different level of accomplishment.”

Schultz met other athletes who wanted to use his prosthesis. So he started a company. It’s called BioDapt. It makes devices for different sports. It also makes prosthetic limbs for kids.

Schultz won gold and silver medals in 2018. They were in snowboarding at the Paralympics. The games were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He won a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing, China. There, 26 athletes from 11 countries used Schultz’s devices. “That’s a whole different level of accomplishment,” he says.