The tragedies of war are many but for those of us here at home, one of the hardest things can be witnessing the damage – both physical and psychological – that soldiers bring back with them. The combination of advanced medical care in the field and the use of IEDS in the wars in Iran and Afghanistan in particular have meant that we’ve seen a surge of soldiers come back minus limbs.
FootStomp.com was created for those soldiers who are ready to tackle their new lives head-on, injuries be damned. It’s the only social network out there for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans who take part in adaptive sports and recreation as a part of their recovery and therapy.
Or just because, you know, they’re badasses who can’t be stopped by anything – even a missing limb.
For those of you who aren’t involved in this scene (as I, personally, am not), adaptive sports are sports played by people who have either a physical or mental disability. The “adaptive” comes from the adaptations that those individuals have to make in order to participate in sports that were designed for able bodied individuals.
FootStomp.com got their name from an occurrence that vets are all too familiar with: the stomp of a military instructor, which signals “Pay attention, cadet!” Their goal is to get people up and moving again after suffering an injury, and their way of doing it is through providing an online space for people to meet and find inspiration.
For vets and caregivers looking to meet up in real life and not just online, FootStomp.com lists thousands of events from across the world that people can attend in order to tap into their local communities. They include everything from yoga classes to track and field to CrossFit. In fact, from the listings on the site, there really don’t seem to be any limits to the options out there for people who are interested in getting physical again.
Obviously adaptive sports require special equipment – that’s usually what makes them “adaptive.” FootStomp.com has an equipment section that lists different types of equipment for specific sports. This is also where users can find tips on how to use their new tools properly and how to repair them if something goes wrong.
On the inspirational (and informative) side of things, FootStomp.com offers a Blogs section, providing links to adaptive sports blogs from around the web. It’s a great place for vets to find other people who are going through the same things they are, as well as pick up tips to help them with adaptive sports.
There’s also an active community of veterans and caregivers on FootStomp.com who share pictures and videos of events. People who are looking for images from their latest match or race can tune in there for awesome amateur and professional coverage. It’s also another great way to connect with folks who are doing the same things and involved in the same activities.
War takes a lot from everyone. For those of us who have made the highest sacrifices – our wounded warriors – FootStomp.com is here to help.
Photo Credits
FootStomp.com | Roger Wollenberg on Footstomp
