Meet Herb Barrack, CPO, Co-Founder, and Chief Clinical Officer of Limber Prosthetics

Herb is a Certified Prosthetist & Orthotist with more than 40 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has served as a clinical manager, owner, and sole practitioner, building and operating multiple clinics across Southern California.

Early Path into Prosthetics

Herb grew up in San Diego in a large, close-knit family. He knew early on that he wanted to work in healthcare, having a genuine interest in the well-being of those around him.

One major influence was Herb’s cousin, who had cerebral palsy. Being around her exposed him to bracing and mobility care and sparked his interest in rehabilitation. That interest led him to the field of Prosthetics & Orthotics — a field that combines medicine, mechanics, and hands-on patient care.

40 Years and Counting

Herb completed his undergraduate training in Memphis, Tennessee, at Shelby State in a program that combined coursework with clinical residency. After earning his B.S. in Prosthetics & Orthotics, he returned to San Diego and began practicing at Southern California Orthotics & Prosthetics (SCOP), eventually becoming Clinical Manager of the Chula Vista office.

In 1988, he opened Alvarado Prosthetics & Orthotics, which later became San Diego Orthotics & Prosthetics. The practice grew to five clinics across the San Diego region. After selling the practice, Herb continued his career with roles at Rehab Designs, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in La Jolla, and later founded Inline Prosthetics & Orthotics, which he successfully operated until it was acquired by Hanger Clinic in 2009.

Limbs of Freedom

Throughout his career, Herb has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to patient care, exemplified by his co-founding and long-standing stewardship of the Limbs of Freedom Project. For over 20 years, this humanitarian initiative—led in partnership with the Rotary Club of Coronado and the Calafia Rotary Club of Ensenada—has provided free or low-cost prosthetic limbs to amputees who would otherwise lack access to prosthetic care. “The individuals that we treat in Mexico do not have the financial means to afford a prosthesis, many of whom have suffered from vascular issues or traumatic injuries,” Herb explains.

Herb has been involved on the ground for decades, fabricating prostheses on site and helping establish the clinic infrastructure in Ensenada.

“The really promising thing,” he shares, “is that the majority of the people we help are able to go back to work and provide for their families.”

Founding Limber

Herb met Limber co-founders Joshua Pelz and Luca De Vivo Nicoloso while speaking at UC San Diego’s Engineering Department. After inviting them to observe a Limbs of Freedom clinic in Ensenada, the three began discussing how to simplify the labor-intensive workflows common in traditional prosthetics.

That collaboration led to the development of Limber’s 3D-printed device, the UniLeg.

“I was super excited,” Herb says. “I shared their vision completely.”

In his current role as Chief Clinical Officer of Limber Prosthetics, Herb oversees clinical strategy and works closely with Limber’s CPO partners. His role is straightforward: ensure the technology serves real patient needs.

“My role is to bridge the gap between engineers and clinicians,” he explains. “We need a clear pathway that allows technology to truly serve the patient.”

The Future of Prosthetics

Looking forward, Herb wants to expand Limber’s reach internationally and increase access in underserved regions. One goal of his is to place a Limber manufacturing printer in Ensenada to support the Limbs of Freedom clinic locally.

Herb believes Limber’s digital approach to prosthetic care represents a lasting evolution in the industry.

“What I’m proud to say about Limber and our technology is that it’s a very precise way of treating patients, down to the fraction of a millimeter, to a fraction of a degree of change,” he says.

Herb hopes that every below-knee amputee gets to experience the impact of the UniLeg. “Most people who wear the leg say, ‘I feel like I grew my leg back.’ That’s a powerful testament.”

To new prosthetists entering the field, Herb offers enduring advice: keep learning, understand your patients deeply, and embrace digital innovation because while technology will continue to evolve, the heart of prosthetic care will always remain human.