Man Lives Life to the Fullest After Losing Right Leg in Accident
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For some people, an amputation can mean leading more sedentary lives. But for Karunakaran Muttiah, his below-knee amputation changed how he looked at life, leading him to live life to the fullest.
Before his accident in 2011, Malaysia-based Muttiah had a simple routine at work and home. In an interview with The Star, the 54-year-old described his pre-limb loss life as “serene and stable.” He also said that while he was happy, “there wasn’t much to look forward to.”
After his accident, he wore a prosthetic leg, but instead of letting it slow him down, Muttiah developed a seize-the-day attitude and became a mountain trekker, para-archer, and long-distance cycler.
“The mishap changed how I looked at life,” he said.
A new thirst for life
After his surgery, Muttiah took 10 months to recover. Within weeks of the prosthetic leg fitting, he learned to drive using his left leg.
In 2012, Muttiah transitioned to para-archery and received training at Universiti Utara Malaysia. He represented the Malaysian state of Kedah and competed in the Malaysia Paralympics as well as Sukma.
Muttiah has also found a newfound love for mountain trekking post-limb loss. He has trekked numerous mountains in Malaysia, including Bukit Hi in Sungai Petani, Bukit Besar in Terengganu, Gunung Baling, Gunung Jerai, and Sungai Ular in Kedah, and Terunai in Grik. Muttiah has also trekked Penang Hill numerous times.
Back in June, Muttiah told The Star that he was preparing to trek the 2,171m Gunung Chamah in Kelantan—the sixth-highest mountain in Malaysia. On July 26, Muttiah posted an update on social media, showing that he had completed the challenging trek.
Resilience on the road
In June, Muttiah returned from a 15-day trip to Mount Kailash in India. During his journey, he completed a 52km "girivalam," which involved circling a sacred site around the mountain's base. However, it was no simple task, as he had to navigate rugged terrain, steep hills, and treacherous rocks along the way. The race began at a challenging altitude of 4,600m and included an exhausting 5,600m pass.
During the trek, Muttiah experienced a few falls and had to manage loose screws on his prosthetic leg. Unfortunately, he had forgotten to bring his Allen key set, which forced him to limp until he stumbled upon a motorcycle repair shop. Thankfully, he was able to tighten the screws on his prosthetic leg there, allowing him to continue and complete the journey.
Besides trekking, Muttiah also cycles weekly. He clocks about 60km a week on hilly and flat roads on his mountain bike, which features a shoe lock on the pedals, keeping his prosthetic leg secured to the pedal.
Muttiah is able to accomplish these impressive feats thanks to his prosthetic limb, which cost RM24,000 (USD 5,608). He thanks the Social Security Organization (Socso) in Malaysia for covering the cost of the prosthesis.
Moving forward
Muttiah shares with The Star that he wants to trek up the 4,095m Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia, next year. To prepare, he has been working on his physical and mental fitness.
Besides these amazing achievements, Muttiah still works at the same company where he worked before the accident. The father of three attributes his recovery and accomplishments to the support given by his wife, children, close friends, and hiking and cycling groups.
Muttiah has found his purpose post-limb loss—to motivate people. And he will work on continuing to break his records.
