Military Amputees Appreciate KAATSU to Help Improve Quality of Life

For who? amputees For what? pain mitigation, strength building, functional movement Justin Sponaugle is a US Marine whose lower left arm was recently amputated.

Operation Healing Forces granted him a new KAATSU C3 and Sponaugle is putting it to good and immediate use.

John Doolittle, a retired Navy SEAL captain and CRO for KAATSU Global explains, "The mission of Operation Healing Forces (OHF) is to help active-duty and recent veteran wounded, ill and injured Special Operations Forces and their families with mental, physical and emotional healing. Its goal is to help them return to the fight or transition successfully into civilian life."

Sponaugle is one of those individuals with a specific need.

Sponaugle said after his initial use of KAATSU, "After only two KAATSU Cycles (about 12 minutes of pressure on and pressure off on the KAATSU C3 unit), the bone doesn't hurt as much and I can definitely move it with a whole lot less pain.

KAATSU improves the circulation on my amputated arm which results in better sensor contact inside my prosthetic - which enables me to move my prosthetic much more efficiently.

At night, before bed, my neuropathic pain is significantly reduced after the KAATSU Cycle sets.

I have better circulation, better control, and it feels good. This is absolutely amazing and impressive. KAATSU Strong."

Sponaugle is part of a niche group of KAATSU users among the military veteran amputee population that experiences residual limb pain, phantom pain, and neuropathic pain. This population includes special operators including Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Green Berets, and those in other branches due to injuries suffered during military conflicts.

There are four concurrent stimuli that help the significant alleviation of pain for these amputees with the KAATSU C3 and B1 equipment and its Progressive Cycle protocols:

1. Gradual, repeated, and incremental engorgement and release of blood in the capillary beds due to the automated Progressive KAATSU Cycle modality.
2. Production of serum lactate with mild and relaxed movements (e.g., hand clenches) performed during the automated Progressive KAATSU Cycle sets.
3. Effective and gentle activation of the peripheral nerves in the residual limb due to the engorgement of the capillary beds.
4. Post-KAATSU production of β-endorphin results and functions to decrease physical stress and maintain homeostasis resulting in pain management.

The Progressive KAATSU Cycle enables the body to replicate conditions as if a limb still exists. This modality is the catalyst to produce a variety of hormones and metabolites that help alleviate pain, albeit temporarily (i.e., 2-4 hours). However, multiple sessions per day can be done with ease and convenience, so the veteran’s lifestyle is not interrupted, but rather enhanced.

Benefits: The impact leads to a pain medication reduction, improved and easier control of prostheses, a reduction in the continuous fluctuation of the residual limb size, and improved mental positivity.

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