Juan Sebastian Valtierra is an active 12-year-old boy. With a busy competitive figure skating schedule and volleyball games, he doesn’t have time for his prosthetic leg to fail him. But that’s exactly what happened last spring, in the thick of his sport season and school activities.
When his regular prosthetist was unavailable, insurance refused to work with other offices, and local facilities refused to see him without a referral, he found his way to Achilles Prosthetics and Orthotics.
He wheeled into the company’s Santa Maria office, and walked out after certified prosthetist orthotist Donald Newton fixed him up.
“My son was so frustrated because he had so many activities planned at school that week that he thought he wouldn’t be able to be a part of, but Achilles fixed the leg immediately. I feel so fortunate to have found them,” said Patricia Valtierra, Juan Sebastian’s mother.
While she would drive any distance to keep her son walking, skating, running and spiking, Valtierra said she is thrilled with the opening of Achilles Prosthetics and Orthotics newest location, 1435 State St., Santa Barbara.
Within 15 minutes of their Carpinteria home, they now have access to the 2,400-square-foot facility which includes three exam rooms, a large gait room, and nearby dedicated parking spaces.
“When someone comes into your office in a wheelchair, and then they walk out smiling, that’s a good day. That’s a really good day,” Newton said. “I live for those moments improving someone’s quality of life. It’s always rewarding.”
Achilles Prosthetics and Orthotics opened in Bakersfield in 1978. It expanded to the Central Coast with offices in San Luis Obispo, Templeton and Santa Maria before opening in Santa Barbara.
All offices feature top-of-the-line prosthesis and orthotics tailored to meet each patient’s needs and lifestyles.
Whether it is for the active lifestyle of a child like Juan, or from marathon runners to motorcycle riders, every patient receives custom solutions to help them reach their physical potentials, Newton said.
The Santa Barbara office also offers 3-D scanning for limb fittings and prosthetic legs and arms as well as cranial orthoses.
“There was a need in this community. We had physicians from Solvang, Goleta and Santa Barbara offices referring patients to us in our northern offices. They really encouraged us, and told us that the community could really use our services,” Newton said.
“We’ve enjoyed a great reputation for almost 30 years in business on the Central Coast, and we felt like we could bring our mission of providing the highest quality prosthetics and orthotics available anywhere to this community,” he said.
In addition to serving its own patients, Achilles Prosthetics and Orthotics will make the gait room available to area physical therapists. The room includes gait training ramp and stair, Solo Step harness system, parallel bars, video gait analysis tools with treadmill and stationary bike.
“We’re a technically advanced office with extremely high-tech prosthetics. We have all the new microprocessor upper and lower limb prosthetics, with the latest in custom fitting technology,” said Keith Severson, director of patient care and services.
Newton will split time at the office with his nephew, Logan Newton. Donald Newton will be on call 24/7 to serve hospitals or rehabilitation facilities throughout the area.
“Once they come through our doors, patients can expect the highest level of care, a great staff, beautiful building that’s been completely remodeled inside. It’s gorgeous and everything is state of the art,” Donald Newton said.
For more information about Achilles Prosthetics and Orthotics, visit www.achillespo.com.
— Jennifer Best for Achilles Prosthetics.