Roman Kostomarov, the 2006 Olympic ice dancing champion, is currently adapting to life with a leg prosthesis. He dedicates more than an hour each day to practicing with the device, a routine that remains intensely demanding as doctors work to finalize a prosthetic hand for him. The update comes from a source close to the medical team and cited by TASS.
According to officials, Kostomarov remains in intensive care while he learns to move with the leg prosthesis. The daily sessions are described as painful and time-consuming, with carers noting that progress happens in small steps. The medical team is concentrating on building up his tolerance and mobility, even as the search for a compatible prosthetic hand continues, a crucial element for full upper-limb rehabilitation .
A video posted to Kostomarov’s social media on June 26 shows him performing exercises with the prosthetic legs for the first time. The moment marks a significant milestone in his recovery journey, offering a glimpse into the hard work and perseverance behind rehabilitative trials that accompany major limb loss. The footage has sparked both admiration and curiosity about the next stages of his rehabilitation .
Earlier reports clarified that Kostomarov was hospitalized on January 10, entering intensive care due to pneumonia and facing critical challenges that required ventilation. His condition later shifted as he was moved to a hospital in Kommunarka, where he received ECMO support. Media outlets had suggested that multiple procedures to amputate portions of his limbs were performed in response to complications from the illness, underscoring the severity of his medical crisis and the complexity of subsequent recovery efforts .
In the broader context of figure skating, the news surrounding Kostomarov has intersected with other developments in the sport. For instance, Anna Shcherbakova, a renowned figure skating champion from Beijing, has been the subject of consideration about a potential return to competition. While details remain fluid, the possibility has generated interest among fans and analysts who follow the sport’s evolving landscape, particularly as athletes balance peak performance with long-term health considerations .