Understanding Prosthetics and Training Strategies to Support Amputees

An overview of amputation types, prosthetic components, common challenges after limb loss, and effective strategies for improving gait, strength, and cardiovascular training.

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Dr. Jackie Garcia

Dr. Jackie Garcia is a board-certified neurologic clinical specialist with extensive expertise in neurological rehabilitation, particularly in spinal cord injuries (SCI), limb loss, and complex neurological conditions. With a passion for optimizing mobility and independence, she specializes in developing individualized treatment plans that enhance functional recovery and improve prosthetic integration for amputees.

As the owner of NXT Stride Rehab and Wellness, Dr. Garcia provides wellness coaching and mobility training for individuals with limb loss, helping them build strength, trust in their prosthetics, and confidence in movement. In addition, she serves as a full-time physical therapist at Touchstone Rehabilitation, where she treats a diverse range of neurological conditions, including SCI, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and traumatic brain injuries. Her expertise extends to prosthetic rehabilitation and vocational reintegration, ensuring patients regain independence and improve their quality of life.

Dr. Garcia is also a dedicated educator and mentor, serving as a PRN Lab Assistant at Franklin Pierce University, where she trains future physical therapists in clinical techniques and best practices. She has held multiple PRN roles in rehabilitation hospitals, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to deliver comprehensive patient care.

She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from A.T. Still University and completed a Neurologic Residency at A.T. Still University, further refining her expertise in neurorehabilitation. Her advanced certifications include Board Certification in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS), Dry Needling, ReWalk Robotics, Neural Manipulation, and Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery (PWR!), equipping her with cutting-edge techniques to optimize patient outcomes.

Dr. Ryan Wedge

Dr. Ryan D. Wedge, PhD, PT, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at East Carolina University, where he leads the Locomotion Optimization Group. With a background in physical therapy from Quinnipiac University and a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Wedge blends clinical expertise with a passion for research focused on improving movement and rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with lower-limb injuries or amputations.

His research explores how walking mechanics are affected by conditions such as limb loss, joint replacement, and stroke. He investigates the biomechanics of gait, metabolic energy expenditure, and joint loading to inform more effective rehabilitation strategies and prosthetic designs. Dr. Wedge has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and was recently honored with the North Carolina APTA Distinguished Abstract Award. In addition to his research, he teaches courses in prosthetics, orthotics, and biomechanics, helping train the next generation of physical therapy professionals.

Alec McMorris

Alec McMorris lost his right leg above the knee in an auto-pedestrian accident late in 2013. Since that time, Alec has been dedicated to uplifting the amputee community through education and experience. He has been involved with prosthetic development such as the “Utah Leg” with the HGN Lab at the University of Utah. And has consulted with Ottobock, Ossur, Proteor and more.

Alec has worked as a fabrication technician, walk tech, prosthetist assistant, patient advocate, and clinic manager.

Instructional Designer
Brendan Aylward

Brendan Aylward is the Owner of Unified Health and Performance, Executive Director of AdaptX, and instructional designer for the AdaptX educational curriculum.