3D-Digitalization of ankle movement and 3D-CAD-method for patient specific external ankle support development and Rapid Manufacturing

Falling accidents cause severe injuries to human ankle and shinbone. Proper postoperative healing process requires anatomically correct mobilization of injured ankle in order to deliver nutrition to cartilage. To possible this, the ankle movement must be scanned and its kinematics accurately studied for external support design. External support secures correct ankle trajectory and movement limitations during physiotherapy. Most of the digitalization methods for movement capture lack needed accuracy. Also captured data transfer to competent design systems can be problematic or cause design limitations. Rapid Prototyping logistics is challenged by treatment requirements. In this paper we will present treatment requirements, an overview of possible digitalization methods for ankle kinematics measurement, discuss different digitalization approaches and test more deeply two methods. Further we will describe how the measurement system was connected to existing treatment instruments and how measurement data was integrated to design system. Finally we show how the patient specific support can be designed and manufactured fulfilling the main requirements of successful treatment.