Anti Pigul, a prosthetist at East Tallinn Central Hospital, works with soldiers who have lost their legs in the war in Ukraine and who, in cooperation with a Ukrainian charity, are now receiving new prosthetic legs in Estonia.

"We have agreed on which people we will treat and who we can provide with prostheses. Most of them are men with lower limb amputations who want to return to active life or even to the front lines. We give them the opportunity to defend their homeland again," Pigul explained on Vikerraadio.

Prosthetic technology is developing rapidly. "In just a few years, a new knee joint has come onto the market that can analyze a person's position and movement thousands of times per second. It recognizes whether a person is walking, running, moving backwards, or riding a bike and adjusts itself accordingly," Pigul explained.

Fitting prostheses of this type requires specialist training. "A company representative comes to Estonia, trains us and then we do everything with the patient using a computer: we walk, test them on stairs and try out the different modes. The new knees even have an app that allows the person to change some of the settings themselves," Pigul said.

According to Pigul, the most special moment in his work is when a person stands up for the first time on their new leg.

"Those first steps – it's so powerful. Especially if a person has been in a wheelchair for a long time. Later, there is a lot of work and practice to be done but the joy when they finally walk and get back the feeling that life is moving forward is priceless," he said.

Every day, Pigul sees how closely a person's mobility is linked to their quality of life. Whether it's the health of their legs, choosing the right shoes or a new prosthesis that gives a person who has lost a limb the opportunity to stand up again.

"In addition to Ukrainian soldiers, I see a lot of people with foot problems. These can be related to the ankle, toes, or other areas of the foot," Pigul explained.

He told ERR that ankle problems are particularly common because a sedentary lifestyle makes the joint unstable. "The joint often collapses inward and can start to pop out. This causes chronic injury," Pigul said.

Awareness is the most important thing when it comes to solving the problem.

"You have to realize that your ankle is weak and take this into account when moving. Wearing a soft orthosis or training the small muscles around the ankle joint can help. Especially for athletes, such as basketball players, there are inevitably situations where the joint gets injured. That is why you need to constantly strengthen your muscles," he said.

Shoes are more than just a fashion item

According to Pigul, the right shoes are extremely important for foot health. The wrong shoes can even cause deformities. "A classic example for women is high heels: the entire body weight is transferred to the front of the foot, the big toe turns outwards and a bunion develops. The same problem occurs with shoes that are too narrow or too short," he explained.

His recommendation is to buy shoes that are half a size larger. "Over time, people's feet become slightly wider and longer. Shoes should be wide enough and have a suitable last. Different manufacturers use different measurements – you have to try them on to see which one suits your feet," he emphasized.

Pigul explained that shoes with completely flat soles are not good for the anatomy of the foot. "The most suitable heel is of about one centimeter – this allows the foot to remain in a natural position. A heel of two to three centimeters is perfectly suitable for women but five centimeters and above is quite extreme," he explained.

Pigul pointed out that movement and changing position are also really important for people when working in an office environment.

 "Staying in the same position for long periods of time is the worst thing for the body. It doesn't matter whether you sit up straight, slouch or stand up. The main thing is to change position and move around. It's even better if you can get up and walk around a little in between," he said.

According to the Pigul, movement is the foundation of everything. "If a person walks for even half an hour every day, they will automatically start looking for ways to make movement more comfortable. This means that they pay attention to their body and footwear," he said.

In Pigul's view, walking is one of the best activities for both strengthening the heart and burning fat. "You don't have to start running. Walking is an optimal, healthy and affordable form of exercise for most people," he said.

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