Mohammed has had both legs amputated. He walks again with prosthetics
40-year-old Mohammed had both legs amputated following a severe work accident. HI is supporting him to walk again.
Mohammed putting on his prostheses | © HI
A work accident
Mohammed Yahya, 40, is from Saada. On 1 July 2025, while operating an artesian well drilling rig, he suffered a catastrophic workplace accident that caused severe, direct trauma to both legs. He was urgently evacuated to a hospital in Sana’a.
The damage was too extensive to repair; to save his life, surgeons performed a bilateral below-knee amputation. Since then, Mohammed has been entirely reliant on his family members.
Stubby prosthetics
Last January, he was referred to the Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Hajjah Governorate, where HI supported the fabrication of customized prosthetic limbs tailored to his double amputation.
Once his measurements were taken, Mohammed began an intensive rehabilitation program using Stubby prosthetics — shortened, non-articulated training limbs with a widened base. These specialized prosthetics were selected to lower his centre of gravity, maximize stability, and reduce the risk of falling during physical therapy.
Day after day, the clinical team guided him through targeted exercises with his Stubby prosthetics, focusing on standing, mastering dynamic balance, walking confidently, and performing daily living activities independently.
“Stubby prosthetics are often used as a temporary training tool in standard protocols, but for Mohammed’s specific case, they are actually his definitive solution. Here is why: Because of the bilateral amputation, Mohammed lacks lower-limb proprioception. Full-length prosthetics would raise his centre of gravity and severely increase his risk of dangerous falls. Stubbies keep him closer to the ground and give him a highly stable base. Walking with full-length bilateral prosthetics also requires a massive amount of cardiovascular energy. Stubbies allow him to move independently for longer periods without extreme physical exhaustion. At last, stubbies are much more practical for his daily life, allowing him to easily transition between standing, sitting on the floor, and navigating local uneven terrain.”
HI operations Manager in Yemen Ashraf Sallam
To participate actively in society
Mohammed's progress has been remarkable. Today, he is able to walk confidently using his prosthetic limbs and move around independently. Reflecting on his recovery, Mohammed shares:
"The accident was a devastating turning point in my life, and at first, I thought I had lost my entire future. After receiving the prosthetic limbs and the rehabilitation sessions, I am able to stand and walk again."
