Chandler Balkman

Leaving for two years

2010-05-04T23:12:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that starting this Wednesday, the 28th, I will be virtually unreachable via Facebook,blog, and Email. I am going to be serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'll be serving mainly the Mandarin speaking people of the Toronto, Canada area. I'm spending 12 weeks in an intensive language training program, and then I ship out to Canada.

Unfortunately, direct contact with me will be very limited while I'm gone. The best way to reach me is through the mail.

Starting in the first week of July, my address will be:

Elder Chandler James Balkman
Canada Toronto West Mission
197 County Court Blvd. Ste 203
Brampton, ON L6W 4P6
Canada

Another way to reach me is through chandler.balkman@myldsmail.org. However, if you email me at that address, include your mailing address, as I may not be able to email back to you. I can always write back via normal mail.

This is a full, two year commitment. It will be a break from school, and from skiing, and many of the things that I love. I also know that the challenge will be rewarding. I have no experience with Mandarin Chinese, but that's what I will be speaking nearly the entire time.

My apologies to any of you that I've fallen out of contact with over the last few years. I'd love to hear from you while I'm gone, and if you take the time to write to me I'll be sure to hit you back.

In May of 2012, I will be back to normal life, ready to go to school/work, maybe finding some late spring skiing, and picking up everything where I left off.

Best regards to all,

Chandler Balkman

Outrigger Snowshoes

2009-12-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

A lot of people will have no idea what I'm talking about here. Recently I made improvements to my outriggers, which I use for skiing, and so here is the explanation so other disabled skiers can get some ideas.

With outriggers, it's really tough to hike in deep powder, so backcountry skiing for me has basically been limited to what I can traverse to without hiking. A friend and I recently came up with a solution.

I use the very popular Superlite outriggers. I thought about starting from scratch and making new outriggers, but for now, I'm sticking with these. First of all, the ski on the bottom is too long for me. I cut off several inches from the tail-end of them.

If you look at the resulting cross-section of the back of the outrigger ski, it's T-shaped. Out of plastic (nylon?) which is basically the thickness and strength of a cutting board, we machined these:

The fit is tight--flawless.

Here you can see exactly where we cut the ski, notice the hole drilled in the rear of the ski:

And with the new basket attached:

To keep it in place, we put a steel .25" pin through the hole that was drilled.

These work surprisingly well. I've hiked in 8" or so of powder and they did great. I would have no problem with much deeper powder. I take these off to ski, and I keep them in the front pockets of my jacket. The pin gets really cold, and becomes really hard to pull out and put in. I might use something different to replace it.

The protruding ski out the bottom is helpful when hiking uphill, because it digs in really nicely to boot-packed holes or just hard snow. Fixed-ski outriggers are difficult when hiking uphill--you usually have to turn them 90 degrees to engage the edge (for grip) and it's really awkward for your arms.

This is simply what works for me at this point.

Skiing

2009-10-12T01:15:00.000-07:00

My brother and I finally finished editing footage of me from last year's ski season. Skiing is absolutely my favorite thing to do. This video just shows a small part of one of the best ski seasons of my life.

Chandler Balkman 08/09 from Chandler Balkman on Vimeo.

Running

2009-09-17T03:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've gotten a few emails about this, so hopefully this can help anyone who is interested in trying this out.

When I met my first prosthetist about 30 months ago, the first thing I demanded was 'have you ever seen a hip disartic run?' he tentatively said 'yes, it can be done.' That was where I first had the idea planted in my head: I will run.

Well, after switching around to different equipment and eventually to the C-Leg, I kind of backed off from my goal of running. I had heard that a handful of people could do it, but it required some funky equipment, like a reversed knee joint used as a hip, or fat rubber bands bolted to the socket. I also heard that the running wasn't very practical. It was painful, and was more of a hop-skip type of run. After hearing all this, I decided I didn't care very much about running, and would focus on getting better at walking.

In July of 2008, I was fitted with the new Otto Bock Helix hip joint. This meant a new socket as well, so it was a big switch for me. This hip joint was a long overdue product in the prosthetics world. It had been over 20 years since any advancements with a hip joint had been made. It is my understanding that basically one guy in Europe decided to tackle this project, and he put in 8 years of work perfecting it. If that guy is reading this, thanks a bunch man, you changed my life. You can read about the Helix hip on Otto Bock's site. I might talk about it in a later post.

Basically, what's so good about the Helix, in conjunction with the C-Leg, is that it reacts on-the-fly to any speed of walking. Its hydraulic stride limiter shortens your steps so you can walk faster; you're not always waiting for the leg to swing back towards you before you can step. Its elastic bands stretch as your prosthesis is on the ground, and as you complete your step, those bands pull and help initiate your next step forward. I like these two features a lot, and I think they are what you immediately notice when you walk with this hip.

The switch from a normal hip to a helix hip was more significant for me than the switch from a basic hydraulic knee to the c-leg. That's saying a lot. This hip helped me progress so much and motivates me to use my leg whenever I can.

In Spring of 2009, my prosthetist said 'so, have you tried running yet?'

'what? I can run on this equipment?'

'yeah you should be able to, I think the leg can adapt to the speed pretty well.'

That night, I went back to my dorm, and started tinkering. What I figured out is that I didn't really have to change any settings of the leg. It just works.

Here's the video of my first successful night: (no audio)

Hip Disartic Running from Chandler Balkman on Vimeo.

It was sloppy, but it felt good, I can tell you that.

I do realize that it's hardly running, more of a jog, but both feet are getting off the ground, foot-over-foot, so that's technically running.

Here are my settings:

C-Leg
Dynamic Factor: 8
Extension Dampening: as low as possible
Angle Threshold: 36*[this probably will vary from person to person]

Helix Hip

These are the same settings I use for everyday walking.

here's a video of some better running. Notice that I start slow, speed up and then break into a run, and then transition right back into walking. This equipment is incredible.

Running II from Chandler Balkman on Vimeo.

How I run: with the above settings, I start walking. I focus on what I'm about to do: I'm going to jump off my foot onto my prosthesis and it will hold up under me.

Trusting your prosthesis is vital. It's probably the toughest part to commit to making the jump into running. Once you're walking quickly, leap off of your sound leg onto your prosthesis, and just let your body swing through back to your sound leg. This was scary for me because a) I thought my prosthesis was going to break and b) I thought I was going to fall hard.

I did fall hard, many times. I actually got rug burns from the hallway floor, and I hurt my wrists from falling so hard, over and over . If anyone is considering trying this, I would recommend short grass (I ran down a fairway on a golf course the other day and it worked great) or a gymnastics tumbling floor. Wrist pads may sound stupid, but it's a good idea.

Once you get a rhythm down, It's safer. I run in parking lots now, and just about anywhere I want. It is physically exhausting, and I probably expend more energy than when sprinting able-bodied. Walking with a hip-level prosthesis has been measured as requiring up to 200% the energy of able-bodied walking, and is around 100x as difficult. I believe the 100x figure is less with the Helix+C-leg, because I know that the study was done before the Helix was available. However, I think that running like this definitely uses more than 200% the energy of able-bodied walking. It's extremely difficult to do, but very satisfying. Sometimes, just to remind myself that I can, I'll run to my car or in my apartment. It's just one of those little things that makes me happy.

Good luck to anyone who tries this. If anyone has questions, comment here, or message me on Facebook.

-Chandler

Intro

2009-09-17T03:11:00.000-07:00

What's up, it's been a while. I just have been getting going with the school year at Brigham Young University, and haven't had time to post anything.

One of my intentions for this site was for it to be a source of information for other high-level amputees like myself. For those of you who don't know, my leg was amputated at the hip in 2006 after a boating accident. When I was in the hospital, my family scoured the internet for information, and found a great site: hphdhelp.org. Other than that site, there isn't much information out there.

As far as amputation classification goes, I am between a hip disarticulation and a hemipelvectomy. Part of my pelvis was cut out in my accident, but since I still have most of it remaining, for the purpose of this site, I am a hip disartic.

I have always had good balance, ever since I was a little kid. I was also fortunate enough to not have any terrible injuries from my accident (other than amputation) that really hinder me in my activities. These two facts contribute greatly to the success I've found, particularly with walking on a prosthesis. I know everyone's situation is different, so don't ever compare yourself to other amputees directly and feel inadequate because of it.

All the time I have random people come up to me and say something like "hey, my cousin lost his foot and he runs in marathons on that c-shaped blade leg! I bet you do too, right?" I don't fault these people for comments like this, because they are just relating what they know about prosthetics to me. What most people don't understand is that high-level amputations limit mobility so much because we have to control more artificial joints, lug around an extra 15 pounds or so, and there is always the possibility of falling flat on your face during any given step.

There are a few amputees that I really look up to, who do amazing things with prosthetic equipment. It has taken me over two intensive years to get to the walking skill level I'm at now, and I'm always inspired by the other guys that do so well. and by the people that learned to walk on equipment that is bulky, crude and unstable compared to what's available these days. I'm also always trying to get better, so if anyone has any good ideas that they want to share, I want to hear them.

As for equipment, I currently use a traditional hard socket with silicone lining, Otto Bock Helix 3D hip, Otto Bock C-leg and Otto Bock Trias foot. I also use a Ferrier Coupler and a rotator.

switching this blog

2009-07-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't done anything with this site in forever, but I'm about to. I will be posting updates about my activities, accomplishments, experiments and experiences on this site.

My photography will be posted on chandlerbalkmanphotography.blogspot.com

If anyone has been checking this site periodically, sorry that it's dead for quite a while. That will change.

-Chandler

Ice

2008-10-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry that its been awhile, but here is a shot I particularly like. This is frozen Smartwater. Does Smartwater freeze differently than normal water? Probably not, but I thought this looked cool, so I snagged this shot. Lighting was from a 580EX off camera, right.

Rainy Weekend

2008-10-06T00:52:00.000-07:00

It finally cooled down here. After a week of abnormally hot weather, the rain hit and it got cold. There is snow on the mountains, which means that skiing draws nearer. This thought makes me love the rain. This shot was taken when the sun broke out of the rainclouds.

Autumn

2008-09-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

I spent some time this morning going up Provo Canyon, then heading up past Sundance and Aspen Grove. I was searching for aspens, and I found a lot of them.

And here's a stitched panorama of the East side of Timpanogos. It was a fine morning.

Jessica

2008-09-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

In the Museum of Art.

Holey

2008-09-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

These are on my headphones.

Bricks

2008-09-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

I walk past this every morning on my way to school.

Post it

2008-09-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

It was almost like Seattle here in Utah today. Overcast for the entire day, with rain by the end. I enjoyed the break from the heat. I noticed the vertical patterns of this block of post-it notes, and thought it might make a decent picture.

I'm Back

2008-09-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Since my last post, there was an endless string of events leading up to high school graduation. These things kept me so busy that, unfortunately, I didn't make time to post images.

I just checked Google Analytics for the first time in months and was surprised to see that people still visit this site. To all those people, thanks for the encouragement.

I lost many of my Summer pictures due to hard drive failure. I think many of the images can be recovered, but I have been unsuccessful so far in that project. For now, I'm just going to pick back up with current pictures. You can find many of my Summer pictures on my Facebook account.

I am now attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I am having a great time here, studying mostly Biology. The landscape is much different than that of Western Washington, but it is still beautiful. What stands out most are the huge Wasatch mountains about a mile from where I live.

Here is a wall of rock from Provo Canyon. This is a 10 second exposure, just a few minutes before dark. The geology of the Utah mountains is often dramatic. Notice the curved ridges on the upper right side of this peak.

And since it's been so long, here's a bonus shot--North Fork Creek, near Sundance resort.

Very Busy

2008-05-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

Very, very busy week, which left me little time to play on the internet. This is one of my favorite shots of the week, which was in between my sister's wedding and her luncheon. I'm going camping for a few days, but I shall return by Friday night.

Criss Cross

2008-05-20T23:53:00.000-07:00

Today started out with rain in Issaquah, but in Seattle, the sun appeared and it became a beautiful day. I took this shot of the reflections of 4th Avenue at the Seattle Public Library, where the unique glass architecture allows for endless photography opportunities. This is one of my favorite buildings in the world.

Battered

2008-05-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

The log has definitely been well-weathered. I shot this as part of an assignment for my high school photography class, where we are making a book out of a themed collection of images.

Butt

2008-05-17T23:31:00.000-07:00

It was a good Saturday, albeit way too hot. Congratulations to Issaquah Lacrosse, who won the Washington State Championship today. It was an well-earned victory. This butt was in Bellevue today.

It's Time for a Remodel

2008-05-16T23:25:00.000-07:00

This is the state of Issaquah High School these days. They are conveniently beginning the remodeling process of this school next year, right after our class has gone through. I like the school just how it is though -- the new school will have indoor hallways, so the students won't be able to get the fesh air between classes that they currently get. Oh well.

The Eye

2008-05-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

I found this tree, and I'm pretty sure it's got a face.

Broken In

2008-05-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Congratulations to Issaquah Lacrosse, who beat Mercer Island 10-4 to advance to the state finals. Congratulations as well to my cousin Jonathan Keith, who began a two year religious mission today. He'll be spending his time in Oakland, CA. Here is some great leather that protects the hand that wears it from baseballs and, more recently for this glove, softballs.

Pensive

2008-05-12T23:50:00.001-07:00

This is my Bearded Dragon Smeagol, apparently deep in thought. For those wondering, this was shot at f/1.4 on a beautiful lens I was trying out today.

Drips

2008-05-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! Summer is seeming far away here in Washington, as every decently sunny day is quickly followed by rain. These drips were on some deck chairs of ours today.

Chain Link

2008-05-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

Went camping this weekend on the Yakima river. We had a great time. This fence is designed to protect people from the possibility of falling in. I think it's a waste of a fence, but it still made for a decent photo.

Stephanie

2008-05-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

My younger sister Stephanie won both Discus and Shot put at her track meet today. More importantly, she set a new personal record for shot and came within 5 feet of the school record for discus. She is an awesome athlete, dividing her time between two softball teams and her rigorous track and field workout schedule. Keep it up Steph!

Clump

2008-05-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

This little clump lit by the setting sun caught my eye. Don't worry. After this one I'll take it easy on the grass pictures for a while.

Invading.....Or Escaping.

2008-05-04T22:34:00.000-07:00

This little weed was poking through the side rails of a bridge at Lake Sammamish State Park today.

Purple

2008-05-03T21:45:00.003-07:00

I thought Saturday was a good day for an abstract.

2008-05-03T21:45:00.001-07:00

Eli

2008-05-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Happy May! Summer grows nearer. I've been gone for awhile and away from a computer, but I'm definitely back now.

Hope you don't mind me posting this Eli. Tonight Barcelona had a concert at the high school, and The Founding Fathers opened for them. The band consists of four guys, Chip, Eli, Cameron, and Graham who are the guitarist, singer, bassist and drummer respectively. Loud, energetic -- they rock. This is the Lead singer, my friend Eli.

Grass

2008-04-25T23:51:00.000-07:00

Just some grass under beautiful light cast by the rising sun. I took this just a few minutes before school started.

Folded

2008-04-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

At events like a softball game, I look for things like this to keep me busy between innings.

Sunset at the Fire Station

2008-04-23T22:51:00.000-07:00

Took this on my way home while waiting at a stop light. After a day on and off rain, it was a very satisfying sunset.

Shoe Shine E.

2008-04-22T23:52:00.000-07:00

"Shoe Shine E." is what Eddie often goes by. This guy was really nice, in contrast to the lady from Pike Place that spit on Bobby, the guy I was shooting with. I was testing a new lens in Seattle, and I'm absolutely loving it so far.

One More

2008-04-17T23:50:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed shooting the DVDs so much, that here is another shot.

Dee, Vee, Dees.

2008-04-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

When you start shooting macro shots of anything, you invariably discover just how imperfect it is. This stack of DVDs seemed pretty uniform while sitting on my desk, but upon closer inspection, each disc is quite unique.

Sprung

2008-04-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

I sold one of my favorite lenses today. I miss it already. Here is one of the last shots I took with it at the Seattle Temple. This image is untouched in post processing, yet still contrasty and sharp.

Washed Up

2008-04-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today we drove home from Whistler. This was taken on one of our stops on the Sea to Sky highway.

Hat

2008-04-10T23:31:00.000-07:00

Another one from Whistler, with the same lens. This lens is refreshing to use, because it forces you to pick exactly what you want to emphasize in a scene. For this photo, it wasn't a hard choice, but in other situations, it really can be a hard decision.

Open-Closed-Standby

2008-04-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Another one from Upper Whistler Village. These lights designate which lifts are open. In case you were wondering, the blurred effect in these pictures is achieved through the lens I used, not post processing.

Great Grate

2008-04-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the best days spent skiing in my life. The snow was great, I was on a new ski that was great, and I met up with a skiing legend who taught me some new things and showed me some incredible new spots to ski. This was taken in the Upper Whistler Village, during a beautiful post-skiing afternoon.

S

2008-04-07T23:23:00.000-07:00

S is for sunshine on my shorts. The directional light caught my eye.

Plate

2008-04-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

I'm already way behind in my posting. Oh well. I noticed the interesting reflections coming off of this plate today, so I snapped a few shots.

Cents

2008-03-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

These pennies were in the change dish in my car as only one of them caught the early light this morning.

Fork Distortion

2008-03-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

I liked how the handle of this fork distorted the lines of the tablecloth to the point where it looks like an diamond pattern. These kinds of photos are my favorite-- clean lines, graphic composition, and bold colors.

Lizzy

2008-03-25T23:49:00.001-07:00

This leopard gecko named Lizzy belongs to my cousins. Instead of blinking, geckos lick their eyes. I was lucky enough to catch her just at the right time.

Starting Up

2008-03-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

My name is Chandler, and I love taking pictures. Unfortunately, I haven't been sharing any photos on the internet since Flickr refused to let me log in to my account and their customer service wouldn't help me out. So, here I am. In order to both share my pictures and keep myself motivated, I will try to post one photo for every day of the year. If I miss a day or two, I'll make it up in the following post.

Thanks for looking!

-Chandler