Access to reliable prosthetic and orthotic care is not just a matter of mobility—it is central to dignity, independence, mental well-being, and overall health outcomes for people living with physical disabilities.
As para-sports gain visibility and technology evolves rapidly, the demand for high-quality, affordable, and professionally fitted devices is reshaping conversations around disability health care in India.
Mats Frank, Managing Director, Ottobock India, answers questions, at a time when the focus is shifting from temporary fixes to long-term, athlete-ready and patient-centric solutions.
Edited excerpts:
Q: Could you briefly explain what Ottobock’s role on the ground is as the official technical service provider at the World Para Athletics Championships?
A: More than 1100 para-athletes participated in the recent World Para-Athletic (WPA) Championships, which took place in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, with many of these athletes using a prosthetic, orthotic, or wheelchair device either in the competition itself or to reach the venue.
The smooth functionality of these devices plays a key role in the athletes’ performance. Ottobock, as the official technical service provider at the WPA, played a key role in ensuring that by providing free repairs for all these devices, regardless of make.
Q: How has athlete-centric technology evolved over the decades, and what unique needs or trends do you see emerging in the Indian context?
A: Athlete-centric technology is certainly evolving very quickly. Case in point is a prosthesis that allows skiing. However, what is developing even more rapidly is the para-sport ecosystem as a whole, which is the case globally and, specifically, in the Indian context.
Para-sport is getting much more visibility in recent years, a trend which is also driven by the extraordinary performance of para-athletes in events such as marathons and further amplified by its wide publicity on social and increasingly traditional media.
Q: What role does high-performance prosthetic technology play in para athlete development and does Ottobock support athletes beyond hardware?
A: Most times, we get to see the running blades used by athletes in disciplines like sprinting, high jump, javelin throw, among others. Depending upon different requirements of the sport, blade design and function change.
However, it is also equally important that advanced prosthetic technology is used by the athlete in everyday life and for practice. He/she may not be able to use a blade at home and in social settings. But, the prosthesis should use technology to reduce stress on his/her musculoskeletal system and maintain all his/her energies for the sport.
Besides hardware, we support athletes with experienced, skilled clinicians who ensure that our high-tech solutions are fitted correctly and can thus be fully utilised.
Q: What is the current size and potential of India’s prosthetics and orthotics market, and what factors, such as policy, awareness, and affordability, are shaping growth?
A: Census 2011 puts the number of people with physical disability at nearly 61,00,000. Changing demographics are shaping this landscape. Globally, it is established that approximately 30 per cent of people with disabilities cannot access a quality device. But the good news is that increasing visibility of para-sport and, in general, more awareness about prosthetics and orthotics is creating a kind of force to compel governments to take proactive steps to increase access. Case in point is the TN state government’s applause-worthy step of including quality prosthetics under their state insurance programme for BPL: CMCHIS.
Q: How is Ottobock working with government programmes to improve mobility access at scale? What more is needed systemically?
A: Ottobock signed a strategic partnership with the government of India through a technology transfer agreement (ToT) with Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corp of India (ALIMCO). Under this project, we worked with ALIMCO to manufacture appropriate quality prosthetic components in India.
In 2026, we will start distributing these ‘Made-in-India’ components through our patient care clinics and other channels. This means that we are immediately raising the bar of affordable prosthetic components. Currently, these entry-level fittings are being fulfilled through cheap, very often poor-quality imports. Our other collaboration with the Paralympic Committee of India is meant to provide the highest quality prosthetic fittings to all PCI-qualified athletes and to create awareness amongst grassroot-level para-sportspersons. And of course, efforts to make ABPMJAY more inclusive are also underway in collaboration with the industry bodies.
Q: What about collaborations with hospitals, rehabilitation centres or CSR programmes that have demonstrably improved patient outcomes?
A: Our market access team tries to connect with large corporations and NGOs to seek financial assistance for our patients who cannot afford quality prosthetic and orthotic devices. We have had some success, but I must admit that we have a long way to go.
At the moment in India, the focus is still, unfortunately, often on providing ‘something’ for many, which often leads to suboptimal outcomes and devices not being used instead of the right quality solutions for a reduced number of patients. But I am hopeful that a change is underway.
Q: What breakthroughs in sports technology, biomechanics or digital prosthetics excite you the most and how will these innovations reshape accessibility and inclusion in India?
A: Additive manufacturing is something that we look forward to. Once we can manufacture sockets more accurately using scanning and 3-D printing or scanning and computer-aided manufacturing, our clinicians can focus more on training users rather than manufacturing. It will change the shape of prosthetic and orthotic care. Launching central manufacturing is our objective for 2026, where we will continue adding new manufacturing processes and, of course, new products.