Over 50,000 mostly young Ukrainian men have already lost one or more limbs while defending their country against the Russian assault on their country. Most of them received their injuries at the frontline.
The severity of the injuries was often compounded by the fact they couldn’t crawl to the medics themselves, or the medics couldn’t get to them because of sustained fire. The resulting delays in treating their injuries led to the loss of a limb; compressing a large blood vessel to stem the blood flow will only work for so long before the injured limb is lost. For others, shrapnel severed a leg or an arm immediately.
Sports is very important to these injured soldiers. It strengthens muscles, improves balance, helps with coordination and strengthens their cardiovascular system. It also helps psychologically.
The Tytanovi Center is a specialized rehabilitation center that offers multiple services to wounded soldiers and helps them deal with their injuries. It offers them a modern cardio zone, physical therapy, massages, meditation and a sports field. The Tytanovi Center also sponsors a wheelchair basketball team to help the participating veterans to reintegrate with general society.
A soldier from the Tytanovi Basketball team who lost his leg fighting for Ukraine against Russia plays basketball as part of his rehabilitation program.
Kyiv, Ukraine, 6/16/2024.
The Tytanovi Basketball team plays against the Levi (Lions) Kyiv at the mini-tournament in Kyiv. The Tytanovi team is made up of soldiers who have had their lower limbs amputated, The Levi players were injured in traffic accidents.
Kyiv, Ukraine, 6/16/2024
Artem Dudchenko relaxes while watching a match between the Odesa Basket and the Lviv’s Titans before his team’s match at a wheelchair basketball tournament.
Kyiv, Ukraine, 6/22/2024
The Tytanovi team play against Odesa Basketball in the Black Sea cup wheelchair basketball mini-tournament.
Odesa, Ukraine, 6/7/2024
A player of the Tytanovi team lost his balance and fell during a mini-tournament. Wheelchair basketball is a demanding and very physical sport that challenges the participants’ sense of balance, strength and mobility.
Odesa, Ukraine, 6/17/2024.
Military patients, all one arm amputees, came to support the Tytanovi team competing in a wheelchair basketball tournament. All of the men are undergoing rehabilitation therapy at the Centre of Complex Endoprosthesis, Osseointegration and Bionics.
Kyiv, Ukraine, 6/21/2024
