CrossFit Athlete
"I have been able to lead quite a similar lifestyle as beforehand which I value highly."
Rogan Dean
"Becoming an amputee automatically comes with many challenges, however, with the combination of these three Össur prosthetic feet, I have been able to overcome most of these challenges."
Hi, my name is Rogan Dean, I am a CrossFit Athlete living in Queensland, Australia.
In August 2020, I was riding my motorbike and was unfortunately struck by a turning vehicle on the left side of my body, which resulted in my left leg being amputated below the knee. Prior to my accident, I had played semi-professional rugby league, so becoming an amputee forced me into early retirement from this sport.
After three surgeries, I started using Össur’s feet in the early stages of rehabilitation. Since the accident, I have taken up the sport of CrossFit, competing in both able-bodied and adaptive competitions worldwide.
I am currently sitting Top 5 in the world for the lower extremity adaptive division after participating in a worldwide competition called the CrossFit Open.
The below video was provided by LKSD.
“It was a top priority of mine to pursue a similar lifestyle to the one I lived prior to my accident, and the prosthetics I wore had to be well suited to this active lifestyle.”
Rogan Dean
Although I am unable to continue playing rugby league, since adopting Össur’s feet, I am still able to train and compete as an elite athlete in another sport.
Empowered through my prosthetic solutions...
The Proprio Foot is my go-to prosthesis that I wear to work every day.
Working in the engineering industry, I am required to wear steel cap safety boots all day long, and this foot allows me to transition with ease between shoes with different heel heights. The technology allows me to adjust accordingly with pre-set profiles (with the ease of an app), which gives me added comfort and practicality for my working day.
The use of the Cheetah Xtend Running Blade allowed me to partake in running since becoming an amputee.
The energy returned through the Blade makes running a breeze. Not only did I play rugby league, but I was an avid runner and thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself in many ways. I had previously completed the New York City Marathon and had a prior history of competitive track and field.
The Pro-Flex XC is by far my favourite prosthetic of the three that I currently own.
The Pro-Flex XC is suited for higher impact activities, and being quite a competitive CrossFit athlete, I have found this foot well suited to my everyday training. It has been practical in being able to transition between various exercises, from weightlifting, skipping, and gymnastics. I have used the Pro-Flex XC in CrossFit competitions, and really love the fact that it is able to keep up with my daily high-intensity training loads.
Little challenges, every day
Becoming an amputee automatically comes with many challenges, however, with the combination of these three prosthetic feet, I have been able to overcome most of these challenges and lead quite a similar lifestyle as beforehand which I value highly.
CrossFit Games at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin.…
I competed within the lower extremity division in a series of CrossFit competitions held over three days. I was one of five contestants, two of us were amputees, and the other three suffered from other forms of impairment, which required them to wear adaptive devices for certain exercises. The workouts are not released until the afternoon before the competition. I had to train in all aspects of CrossFit to prepare myself for whatever challenge was required for the competition.
The Competition...
The first event at the CrossFit Championships required a maximum number of calories burned on the bike within five minutes. This was followed by two minutes of a max weighted pull-up. As soon as those two minutes were up, I had to do max-weighted front squats to get to my total score. The weight from the front squat, the pull-up and the number of calories burned were tallied to produce the final score. We could choose what we wanted to lift, and there was enough time for approximately three lifts. It was challenging because once I had maxed out my calories on the bike, my legs became fatigued.
I participated in an event that included three sprints. I had to do ten ring muscle ups, then immediately jump over a big log, and then straight into a 60-minute sprint to the finish line. Speed was essential to win, and my Cheetah Xceed was more suitable for this event since it allowed me to run faster than I would on any of my other prosthetic legs.
The swimming competition was certainly the most challenging. Usually, I swim without a prosthetic leg because it can add unnecessary weight, which makes it harder to swim with speed. For this competition, I was required to jump into a pool and swim for 50 metres and jump out to do some cardio equipment.
Two Choices...
My first option was to swim with no leg and then hop on over to the equipment and try and ski with one foot, which was not practical. My second option was to leave my prosthetic leg on and swim with it, but it weighed me down.
Three out of the five contestants had both legs, and they weren’t faced with the same challenge. I went into that event knowing I was not a very strong swimmer, to begin with, so I was mostly aiming to get as far as I could. I knew I wasn’t going to win that challenge. If I ever play again, I’ll take my leg off, that was the first time I’d ever tried swimming with it on, and it wasn’t easy. Next time, I will also consider using a vacuum seal.
I am definitely keen to continue training in CrossFit and want to try out for the CrossFit Championships again!
Name: Rogan Dean
Occupation: Engineering Maintenance Planner
Location: Queensland, Australia
- I never trained in CrossFit; however, my fiancé encouraged me to try it. It was a good sport to get into while recovering from surgery. After a few sessions, I was hooked!