A Life Changed
Livio Pelaez was just five when he was visiting his uncle’s ranch in Las Vegas. Childhood curiosity and a desire to explore led him to an industrial meat grinder. Small fingers and big industrial blades led to a terrible accident and Pelaez’s mother had to disassemble the machine to free him. When the dust settled, Pelaez lost his right hand.
“I was right handed so therapy took a long time for me,” Pelaez explains. “I spent around eight years learning to adjust to my missing hand. That sounds like a long time but children often adapt faster to such situations, while adults continue to feel the ‘ghost’ of the missing limb.”
A sports fan, Pelaez, who is today in his early 40s, found that terminal devices were still very basic.
“I used a claw to play baseball and I had to invent my own workout routines. It was hard because you simply couldn’t do what others took for granted. It was then I met Tom Vorhees, one of the founders of Maxgrip Systems, and my life changed.”
Pelaez was watching the soccer World Cup in a bar when Vorhees approached him with a prototype he had been working on that would help a below-the-elbow amputee exercise using regular gym equipment.
“I talked with Tom for a while and did some research on Maxgrip Systems. I started testing their prototypes and found it changed my life completely. I could use new workout techniques, which changed my physique and let me get into the best shape I’ve ever been in. The prosthetics are also rugged and strong, and can handle barbell lifts of up to 500 pounds and dumbbell lifts of up to 150 pounds,” Pelaez said.
The Maxgrip Systems terminal devices enable below-the-elbow amputees to work their muscles as if they have two fully functioning limbs. Regular, balanced workouts prevent spinal and joint issues that can arise and also keep bones under tension to foster strength and avoid brittleness.
“The terminal devices from Maxgrip Systems have helped me to foster a positive attitude and have given me the confidence to try new things. My life has changed tremendously as a result of that chance meeting with Tom and I would love to see other amputees discover the benefits of using these prosthetics.”
“I was right handed so therapy took a long time for me,” Pelaez explains. “I spent around eight years learning to adjust to my missing hand. That sounds like a long time but children often adapt faster to such situations, while adults continue to feel the ‘ghost’ of the missing limb.”
A sports fan, Pelaez, who is today in his early 40s, found that terminal devices were still very basic.
“I used a claw to play baseball and I had to invent my own workout routines. It was hard because you simply couldn’t do what others took for granted. It was then I met Tom Vorhees, one of the founders of Maxgrip Systems, and my life changed.”
Pelaez was watching the soccer World Cup in a bar when Vorhees approached him with a prototype he had been working on that would help a below-the-elbow amputee exercise using regular gym equipment.
“I talked with Tom for a while and did some research on Maxgrip Systems. I started testing their prototypes and found it changed my life completely. I could use new workout techniques, which changed my physique and let me get into the best shape I’ve ever been in. The prosthetics are also rugged and strong, and can handle barbell lifts of up to 500 pounds and dumbbell lifts of up to 150 pounds,” Pelaez said.
The Maxgrip Systems terminal devices enable below-the-elbow amputees to work their muscles as if they have two fully functioning limbs. Regular, balanced workouts prevent spinal and joint issues that can arise and also keep bones under tension to foster strength and avoid brittleness.
“The terminal devices from Maxgrip Systems have helped me to foster a positive attitude and have given me the confidence to try new things. My life has changed tremendously as a result of that chance meeting with Tom and I would love to see other amputees discover the benefits of using these prosthetics.”