Siemens 2013 Annual Report Download - page 46

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Maine, U.S.
Ice hockey is one of the toughest sports
around. Next to head wounds, knee inju-
ries are the most common result of unin-
tended collisions on the ice. But seventy-
six-year-old Gordon France wouldn’t dream
of giving up the sport that’s been his hobby
since childhood, even though he’s had two
knees replaced: “When I got out of rehab,
I headed straight back to the rink, grabbed
onto the boards and pulled myself along
until I got the hang of it again. Before I
knew it, I was whirling around the ice,
and my knees were working great.” When
not playing ice hockey, the successful artist
is continually looking for interesting land-
scape motifs – preferably in Tuscany or
near his summer home in York Harbor on
the coast of Maine. That means he does a
lot of walking on rough terrain – just as he
did before his operations. But today he no
longer takes it for granted. “I had severe
knee pain for years, and it kept getting
worse. The doctors always diagnosed the
same thing: the onset of arthritis. So it was
only a matter of time before I’d either have
to get knee replacements or quit walking
altogether.”
Gordon France was aware that there might
be complications. He also knew that the
implants would probably have to be
replaced at some point. But there didn’t
seem to be much choice: “I couldn’t hike,
I couldn’t skate, and I couldn’t paint any
more. Something had to be done.” The
operations were a success. About six
months after leaving the hospital, Gordon
France was once again leading a full life.
“I can move like a -year-old again. My
quality of life has really improved.”
Gordon France is only one example among
many. In the U.S., some , people
receive knee implants every year – people
who couldn’t continue living their normal
lives without the help of artificial joints.
And it’s here that our knowhow and exper-
tise in the area of industrial production
processes can make an important contribu-
tion. As a producer of innovative industry
solutions, we’ve developed a solution that
will enable implant manufacturers to pro-
duce prosthetics faster, more efficiently and
more economically. On the pages that fol-
low, Sabine Fietz explains how it all works.
Industry solutions that enhance
the quality of life
Back in the game –
with new knees
Siemens’ industry solutions York Harbor, Maine, U.S.
Erlangen, Germany