3D printing continues to be an innovative way for patients and providers to overcome health challenges. 3D printing can help doctors view a replica organ prior to an operation, or they can provide hardware to be installed during surgery. They’ve also been used as prosthetics, but now researchers are turning their sites on more complex areas of the body, like the ankle.
Researchers out of Australia recently outlined the challenges associated with traditional ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) and the feasibility of 3D printing to manufacture a better prosthetic product. During their analysis, researchers concluded that traditional AFOs are often ill-fitting and uncomfortable, despite the fact that they are designed to help prevent falls and aid in walking.
“Many children and adults with musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders don’t wear their prescribed AFOs and instead utilise compensatory strategies during gait despite these being physiologically inefficient and potentially injurious,” stated the researchers. “Therefore, many users only choose to wear their devices when their condition becomes severe even though earlier AFO use might have significant clinical benefits.”
Traditional AFOs are usually made with plaster of Paris using a labor intensive process that takes more time than you might expect. But with 3D printing options, we could potentially produce better fitting, more durable and more affordable orthotics, while also creating them much sooner.
Are They Feasible?
For their study, researchers analyzed a number of studies that involved individuals with different types of foot orthotics, including AFOs modified with some 3D printed parts. After reviewing more than 10 different studies, researchers concluded that overall, 3D printed ankle-foot orthoses were as good in quality as their traditionally made counterparts. Moreover, mechanical stiffness and energy dissipation between the traditional model and the 3D printed options were similar.
“The use of 3D printing to manufacture AFOs seems to have many potential benefits over traditional methods, including the development of novel designs that optimize stiffness and energy dissipation, improve walking biomechanics, comfort and fit,” concluded the team.
However, they did say that more research needs to be conducted.
“The feasibility of using 3D printing to manufacture AFOs is dependent on the AFO design and printing method and therefore additional research is needed before 3D printed AFOs can be integrated into clinical practice. Further research is required to evaluate 3D printing AFOs in pediatric populations, and to determine the most appropriate printing technique and optimal materials to improve walking ability, patient satisfaction and long-term usage and durability.”
So while more research needs to be conducted, it appears that 3D printing is already slowly making its way into the ankle and foot orthotic market, and we may be able to help a large portion of the population find a better fitting orthotic in the not so distant future. Patients with cerebral palsy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease may be able to receive a more supportive and cost-effective 3D printed orthotic in the coming years. This is truly exciting innovation!