DIY Swimming Prosthetic D4E1

What if a prosthetic leg could be made not just for walking but for swimming?

In this project, we worked with Johan to design a custom swimming prosthetic that helps him feel more comfortable and capable in the water. Instead of adapting a land-based prosthetic, we started from scratch to focus on what really matters while swimming: balance, movement, and confidence.

In the following steps, we’ll show you how we designed and built this prosthetic, so you can understand the process and maybe even create your own solution for a different challenge.

Developed by :

Marco Young ( marcocarraroyoung@gmail.com ) - Product Designer

Berra Toy ( berratoyyy@gmail.com ) - Product Designer

Noah D'hondt ( noordhondt@gmail.com ) - Product Designer

Ludvig Svanberg ( ludvig.svanberg11@gmail.com ) - Product Designer

Sara Vanmeenen ( vanmeenensara@gmail.com ) - Occupational Therapist

Jutta Van Den Haute ( vandenhautejutta@gmail.com ) - Occupational Therapist

The exact standards parts we used.

Paddle ( https://www.bol.com/be/nl/p/intex-59623-peddel-set-130cm/9300000004171493/ )

Knee Brace ( https://aanbod.goed.be/nl/product/neo-g-kniebrace-open )

The part should be printed at standard quality with a 0.2 mm layer height. PETG is recommended for the buckles for added strength and durability, while PLA can be used for the remaining sections.

The STL files for printing can be found in the Google Drive folder here: link.

(This prosthetic was custom-measured to Johan’s dimensions, so the provided STL files may require adjustments depending on the user. If needed, you can contact a team member via email for support.)

Place the knee brace onto the 3D-printed cup part. This will connect the knee to the paddle at the end. Make sure the hole in the knee brace aligns with the 3D cup.

Make sure the centre of the knee brace is aligned with the centre of the 3D-printed cup.

Using a Sharpie, mark the holes around the 3D cup where the zip ties will go through. This will act as a guide.

Use a belt hole puncher to punch all the marked spots around the holes.

Mark the line where the side buckle supports go. This will help guide us in creating the right slit size for the buckle to fit through.

Using an exacto knife, cut along the line.

Feel for the small dimple below one of the holes on the 3D print; this marks the hole where you should begin threading the zip ties through. Use 2 zipties.

Attention: the shiny side should face up when feeding it into the holes.

Tighten all zip ties securely, then trim the excess ends as close as possible.

Click the buckles through the small slits created in Step 5.

Screw the paddle onto the thread at the end of the 3D cup and adjust it to your desired angle.

If you choose not to use the paddle during your swim session, you can instead attach the stopper using the same threaded system. This prevents water from entering while still allowing you to swim without disrupting the flow.

The prosthetic is also easy to carry in a sports bag, as the threaded paddle can be unscrewed to fit inside.

We would like to thank BOAS for this incredible opportunity and Johan for generously taking the time to help us co-create this design.