Our prosthetists and orthopaedists are training alongside the KRC Genk AMP team

How amputee football works

Amputee football is played with seven players per team. The outfield players are missing a leg or part of a leg and play on crutches. The goalkeepers are missing an arm or part of an arm. Players are only allowed to use their whole leg or arm, so that everyone plays under the same conditions.

During training, the Spronken colleagues played in the same way as the amputee players. They soon realised that this is much harder than it looks. You need strength in your arms, but also a good feel for the ball and good balance. “The players from the KRC GENK AMP team were well and truly the better of us,” and they readily admitted as much afterwards.

Spronken Orthopaedics – partner of KRC GENK AMP football

Every day, we help people get back on their feet following an amputation or living with a disability. The AMP team really shows us what that means in the wider world. Sport gives the players a goal, a permanent place in a team and the chance to connect with people who have been through the same experience.

For us at the Amputee Care Centre by Spronken, this partnership goes beyond mere financial sponsorship. Our staff are genuinely committed. We support the players, even at weekends and late in the evening. 

We also want to get to know the players properly. A joint training session is a great way to do that. We’d like to thank the players and coaches of the KRC GENK AMP team for their hospitality and warmth! It’s always great fun! 

Would you like to find out more about care and support following an amputation? Then take a look at the Amputee Care Centre by Spronken, our specialist department for people who have had an arm or leg amputated. Book an appointment.

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Football is the number one national sport in the Netherlands and Belgium. An amp team raises the profile of amputees in a setting that everyone is familiar with. This instils a sense of pride in the whole group, not just the players. Sponsors and supporters come not only to cheer on the team, but also because they themselves feel proud.

Not everyone can or wants to play. Nevertheless, you can still get involved: stand on the sidelines, cheer on the team, discuss the match afterwards and be part of the atmosphere. This gives a sense of belonging and reduces isolation. The team is emphatically more than just sport; it is also a social and mental community.

Research into amputee football shows that participants score higher in terms of quality of life, community, self-confidence and a sense of purpose. These benefits extend beyond the active players alone. The presence of other amputees as supporters reinforces this circle.
That is why our prosthetists and orthopaedic staff are so committed: because the amp team genuinely helps people move forward, both on and off the pitch.