AdaptX Podcast

John Edward Heath, a former Marine and Paralympic athlete, shares his journey as an amputee and advocate for amputees in Maryland. He discusses his passion for weightlifting and how it led him to become a Paralympic athlete. John also talks about the challenges he faced in the military and the decision to undergo an elective amputation. He highlights the importance of insurance coverage for secondary prosthetics and the legislation he is working on in Maryland to ensure access to these prosthetics. On May 16, 2024, Governor Moore of Maryland signed the “So Everybody Can Move Act of Maryland” into law, and John was the lead in making this happen. What this is, as of right now, is that if a Maryland resident were to become an amputee, insurance companies would only be required to provide ONE prosthetic. To be physically active, a secondary prosthetic is needed. As of Jan 1, 2025, insurance companies will now be required to provide a secondary prosthetic for movement! This significant milestone inspired John to found the Adaptive Athletic Foundation of Maryland. John’s personal mission is to make gyms more adaptive and disabled-accessible while providing adaptive coaching opportunities for coaches. John has pioneered the creation of adaptive crossfits to the Move United pipeline for our youth and expanded adaptive sports in Australia and New Zealand.

To keep up with John and the Adaptive Athletics Foundation, check out the links below,

Instagram: @CarbonFiber_John_
LinkedIn:   / john-edward-heath-9b0620255  
Adaptive Athletics Foundation of MD Instagram: @adaptiveathletics_md

Keywords: amputee, weightlifting, Paralympic athlete, elective amputation, insurance coverage, secondary prosthetics, legislation, Paralympic classification, adaptive sports, adaptive athlete, inclusive fitness, amputee, training, coaching, safety considerations, emotional reaction, Adaptive Athletics Foundation, accessibility, adaptive coaching, para programs, adaptive sports

Takeaways
- Insurance companies often do not cover the cost of secondary prosthetics, which are necessary for amputees to be active and participate in various activities.
- Legislation is being introduced in Maryland to require insurance companies to provide coverage for secondary prosthetics.
- The Paralympic classification system needs better representation and understanding of amputees' unique needs and abilities in adaptive sports.
- Coaches working with amputees should understand their unique training requirements and communicate effectively with them.
- Safety considerations for amputees include managing heat and sweat, dealing with phantom pain, and avoiding cuts from prosthetics.
- Becoming an amputee can be emotionally challenging, but finding a new passion and surrounding oneself with supportive people can lead to personal growth.
- Creating para programs at universities and making adaptive sports more popular can provide opportunities for disabled students.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Childhood
05:59 Importance of Insurance Coverage for Secondary Prosthetics
15:43 Paralympic Classification System
23:27 Competitive Focus on Paralympics
28:45 Coaching Considerations for Amputees
35:36 Emotional Reactions and Finding New Passions as an Amputee
41:06 The Adaptive Athletics Foundation of Maryland
47:56 Creating Para Programs at Universities