Customization and Analysis of Orthopedic Aids

The provision of customized orthopedic aids, such as prostheses and orthoses, is essential for treating congenital malformations, chronic diseases, and musculoskeletal injuries. Traditionally, these aids have been crafted manually by skilled technicians. However, the advent of adaptive manufacturing techniques and digital methodologies, in the context of Industry 4.0, is revolutionizing this field. This paper explores the automated customization of orthopedic aids using a novel two-step pipeline that leverages digital scans and structural analysis. The first step involves adapting orthopedic aids based on 3D scans of the patient’s body, ensuring a precise fit. The second step employs the Finite Element Method (FEM) to analyze the structural integrity of these customized aids, focusing on aspects such as pressure distribution and heat conduction. While FEM has been extensively used in medical contexts to study human body structures, its application to the analysis of digitally customized orthopedic aids remains limited. The proposed methodology utilizes registered 3D meshes and reference skeletons to create patient-specific aids through an as-rigid-as-possible approach. The effectiveness of this process is evaluated by adapting a forearm and a foot orthosis based on patient-specific 3D scans. FEM analysis confirms that the customized aids maintain structural integrity comparable to their templates. This research demonstrates the feasibility of automated customization of orthopedic aids, paving the way for future applications involving a broader range of prostheses and orthoses, thereby enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of orthopedic treatments.