Mynext MAFO - a Dynamic Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO)
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Gone are the days of itchy and messy casts?
Remember the dystopian-looking 3D-printed orthopaedic casts?
spoiler alert, we’re not there yet due to practical limitations but inching closer. 3D printing has found its niche in many areas, but now it’s knocking on the orthotics doors. Say hello to Air Jordan’s Orthotic cousin “Mynext MAFO” a dynamic AFO designed by none other than Ottobock. It is based on ‘Additive manufacturing’ alongside EOS, the industrial 3D printing service.
The real protagonist here is EOS P 396 the IIOT compatible 3D printer.
3D printed braces offer many advantages compared with the traditional braces as they are individualized, reproducible, exceptionally comfortable, and easy to standardize. The ability to customize allows incorporating complex structures like multiple functions in a single brace. They are comfortable while looking good encouraging children and young adults to wear longer and thus improve compliance.
They are also 35% faster to make. A survey suggests 3D printed braces provide 89% satisfaction compared to 60% for traditional braces in rehab. The overall comfort level of the traditional brace survey is about 50%, while that of the 3D rehabilitation brace is more than 70%. As we home the technology, the costs are gonna come down. We foresee a new future where these wonder casts will replace the internal and external fixators embracing a more biological way of treating many orthopedic conditions.
