3DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF AN ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS FOR CLUBFOOT DEFORMITY

Abstract

Clubfoot deformity is a congenital deformity which is also called as congenital talipes equino varus (CTEV). This foot deformity is well established from birth. The causes for this deformity are numerous, but the major cause happens to be abnormal intra-uterine fetal positing. The clinical presentation is a child walking on the lateral border of the foot. The foot appears to be club shaped. This primary skeletal deformity in turn leads to muscular deformities like, tightening of the muscles that are constitute the medial border of the foot. Treatment is initiated from birth; severe bone and muscular deformity require surgical correction. But non surgical management is the most preferred way of treatment. Serial casting and braces are the management in practice. But these methods tend to be very uncomfortable; in turn the child gets irritated.

Ankle foot orthosis have been used to treat a variety of foot deformity, but its application in clubfoot is yet to be understood. This study concentrates on designing an ankle foot orthosis as an alternate option for the treatment of clubfoot. The orthosis is virtually modeled, instead of the traditional fabricating procedure. This study concludes by showing that virtual modeling can be a better advancement in the field of orthosis designing.