Scaling Mountains | Chittrasen Sahu | TEDxIIM Raipur

Challenges of Mountain Climbing for Amputees

• One challenge in mountain climbing for amputees is volume fluctuation in the residual limb, which changes throughout the day, month, and season due to factors like sweating and physical exertion. (54s)
• Throughout the day, the volume of the residual limb fluctuates, which can impact the fit of an artificial leg. (1m35s)

Managing Artificial Leg Issues

• It's crucial to know how to manage potential issues with an artificial leg, such as blisters or breakdowns, to avoid prolonged interruptions in daily life. (2m29s)
• Chittrasen Sahu uses a hack involving Nysprin powder and cotton to alleviate pressure on injured legs when wearing artificial legs. (2m57s)

Choosing the Right Artificial Leg

• Sahu believes that people lack knowledge about the different types of artificial legs available. (3m25s)
• When suggesting an artificial leg, Sahu considers factors like age, occupation, activity level, sporting needs, and diabetic status. (3m37s)

Importance of Lightweight Artificial Legs

• Artificial legs used for activities like mountain climbing need to be lightweight to minimize energy consumption with each step. (4m28s)
• A bilateral amputee's biggest challenge is the weight of the prosthetic legs, as even an extra 50 grams can feel extremely heavy. (5m18s)

Adaptability and Resilience

• Younger people may participate in the Paralympics alongside individuals in their 40s and 50s, highlighting the importance of adaptability over time. (6m5s)
• The speaker participated in a game with rules tougher than normal basketball, which served as a stepping stone to their mountain climbing experiences. (7m1s)

Chittrasen Sahu's Adventures

• The speaker's first climb in Manali marked the beginning of their journey to Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, and Mount Kosciuszko. (7m7s)
• Chittrasen Sahu desires to live life without regrets and has pursued adventures in land, water, and air. (8m16s)

Chittrasen Sahu's Scuba Diving Experience

• As a certified scuba diver, he has dived up to 20 meters deep. (8m28s)
• Sahu feels immense gratitude for the love he receives from people, exceeding his initial expectations. (8m51s)

Chittrasen Sahu's Recovery and Positivity

• Following a 37-day hospitalization, which included five major surgeries and 13 days in the ICU, Chittrasen Sahu remained positive and continued to smile. (10m5s)
• Abhishek considers Chittrasen Sahu's biggest achievement to be his ability to laugh and ask "How are you, man?" when he saw Abhishek after waking up from surgery. (11m7s)

Importance of Positivity and Perspective

• Climbing mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Elbrus is a significant achievement, but maintaining a positive outlook on life is even more important. (11m22s)
• When faced with adversity, people often express sympathy and question why bad things happen, but it's essential to maintain a positive attitude and avoid blaming God. (12m1s)

Importance of Positivity in Interactions

• When interacting with others, especially those facing challenges, it's crucial to approach them with positivity and friendship rather than sympathy or motivational speeches. (13m8s)
• The UN and the Paralympics use the term "person with disability" because it recognizes the person first and the disability second. (13m37s)

Paralympics and National Paralympic Events

• The term "para" in Paralympics means parallel, indicating that the Paralympics are held alongside the Olympics, often with the same venue and organizers. (13m56s)
• In some countries, national Paralympic events for people with disabilities are organized by separate bodies and may have different venues, unlike the international Paralympics. (14m20s)

Chittrasen Sahu's Journey with Artificial Legs

• In June 2015, Chittrasen Sahu began training by walking with a modern artificial leg around an artificial lake. (14m51s)
• When he first started walking in February, his legs would bleed without him realizing due to reduced sensation in his lower limbs. (15m7s)

Challenges with Artificial Legs

• By June 2015, after switching to a modern assistive device, his legs would swell up like balloons after bearing weight all day. (15m49s)
• Chittrasen Sahu describes a process of having to drain fluid from his leg with a syringe every day. (16m15s)

Phantom Pain and Body Acceptance

• Sahu mentions experiencing phantom pain, where he feels sensations in the missing part of his leg, such as itching, pain as if stabbed or electrocuted. (17m1s)
• Sahu shares that for the first time in 10 years, he experienced a dream of walking with an artificial leg, signifying his body's acceptance of the prosthetic. (17m36s)

Psychological Aspect of Phantom Pain

• Chittrasen Sahu has dreams about having an injury in his lower foot, even though it is not there, and experiences phantom pain. (17m40s)
• Sahu believes that while phantom pain is a physical problem, it can also be psychological. (17m59s)

Chittrasen Sahu's Post-Accident Life

• After the accident, Sahu decided to focus on his exams and finding a job. (18m28s)
• Chittrasen Sahu was unable to sit for more than 90 minutes during exams due to taking painkillers after an injury. (19m8s)

Importance of Accessibility and Yoga

• Sahu realized accessibility was a major issue after experiencing difficulties during exams. (19m25s)
• Sahu believes yoga is a great tool for recovery and leg strength is especially important for those who use prosthetic legs. (19m46s)