John A. Sabolich

Class of
1993
John A. Sabolich

John A. Sabolich

“[The Sabolich Sense-of-Feel System] will help people balance and walk better and run, so they can do the things they like to do.”
John Sabolich, 1995

Biography

Oklahoma native John A. Sabolich embarked upon his career in prosthetics-orthotics at the age of 13 when he began working in his father’s Oklahoma City research and patient care facility learning to fit artificial limbs. He graduated first in his class from New York University’s College of Prosthetics (1970) and upon certification (1972) returned to join his father and begin the research and development of prosthetic systems which enable today’s amputees to have flexibility, a sense of feel, and range of motion that was unheard of before 1982. His expertise created a biomedical lab which benefits patients worldwide. A clinical instructor for the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, he published technical articles and a book, You Are Not Alone, to furnish basic information and encouragement for those facing amputation. His work has been the subject of well-known publications such as National Geographic (December, 1989) and Omni (February, 1991). He was recognized as a 1998 Pathmaker by the Oklahoma City-County Historical Society and was often in the position to donate his services and devices to not only Oklahomans, but amputees around the world.

Fun fact

John Sabolich was the creator of the Sabolich Sense-of-Feel (SOF) System and was responsible for at least a dozen innovative designs for artificial limbs. His designs allow double amputees, moreover, to walk step over step, children with thigh-high amputations can run, and five-month-old babies can crawl and eventually learn to walk.

Oklahoma connections

Sabolich was born and raised in Oklahoma City, where his father, Lester, established The Sabolich Center in 1946.

Hometown

Oklahoma City

Profession

Inventor/Prosthetics

Presenter

Born

1948

Died

2017
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