Karl Dorman

Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Karl Dorman became a disabled veteran in 2002. "I was serving on active duty for the global war on terrorism when I was in a motor vehicle accident. I lost my leg at the knee and with my knee disarticulation, it's difficult for practitioners and prosthetists to deal with because of the boney areas on the end of my residual leg."

Dorman faced frustrations with traditional sockets and liners because of the irregular surface of his residual limb. "Finding the right fit is hard, but the biggest challenge is comfort."

Mobility was also a must for Dorman. "I wanted a socket that allowed me to do the things I could do before my accident," Dorman explains. The Symmetry liner and its unique socket system meet all my main requirements in a prosthetic. Symmetry systems and components allowed me to get my life back. I can now snow ski, snowboard, rock climb and enjoy many other sports without worrying about the security of my prosthetic ."

Dorman is now a certified peer counselor with the Amputee Coalition of America and a patient advocate who travels to meet with patients at Walter Reed Hospital, where he received most of his care after the accident. He meets and shares with thousands of amputees, including veterans and civilians all across the United States.

"Today it's different. Instead of being the patient, now I'm the advocate, helping soldiers with depression and showing them that they, too, can get their lives back," observes Dorman. "The balance of life is what I'm looking for, and I've found it with the Symmetry liner and socket system. It's about giving back, it's about caring, and it's about life."