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Medical applications of 3D printing. The Knee Brace. What is an ACL? . A: Interior C: Cruciate L: Ligament Found under the knee joint Runs diagonally in the middle of the knee Keeps the tibia in place by providing rotational stability to the knee. Torn ACL Vulnerability.
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Medical applications of 3D printing The Knee Brace
What is an ACL? • A: Interior • C: Cruciate • L: Ligament • Found under the knee joint • Runs diagonally in the middle of the knee • Keeps the tibia in place by providing rotational stability to the knee
Torn ACL Vulnerability • ACL injuries occur more than 200,000 times a year • 100,000 of these injuries require knee reconstruction • Most ACL injuries occur in sports that require a lot of movement • Sports in which the injuries occur most often are: • Basketball • Soccer • Skiing • Football • Most common (1 in 1,750 persons) in patients that are between 15 and 45 years old • Occurs most frequently in this age group partially because they are more active and participate in more sports
Torn ACL Vulnerability Continued • Cases happen more frequently in males because more males participate in sports, but females have a greater risk of being injured • NCAA statistics show that female athletes are 2-8 times more likely than men to experience an ACL injury playing sports • Factors that increase risk of ACL injury in females include: • Lower extremity alignment (wider pelvis, knee valgus, foot pronation) • Joint looseness • Hamstring flexibility • Muscle development • Hormonal differences • ACL size
Price of Knee Braces Knee Braces Bought Today • Cost: $100-$800 3D Printer Knee Brace • Materials to make cost $ • Put it together yourself for free
Different Types of Knee Braces • Prophylactic braces • Designed to protect the knee from blows in contact sports • Functional braces • Designed to give support to knees that have already been injured • Rehabilitative braces • Designed to limit movement while a knee is healing after an injury or surgery • Unloader/off loader braces • Designed to provide relief to those who experience arthritis in their knees
Benefits of a Knee Brace • The new ACL after surgery is weaker than the original ACL 12 months post surgery, so the brace protects it from harmful forces that could damage the knee in a worse manner, leading to further injuries • Studies have shown that the brace provides the patients with more confidence with the added assistance to complete everyday tasks • Helps the knee to strengthen more quickly since it prevents more injuries, allowing athletes to return just as strong and sometimes stronger than before
How do Braces Work? • ACL braces have a lightweight frame and hinges at the knee joint, allowing the knee to bend and straighten as well as providing rotational support to the knee • To secure the brace to the knee, adjustable straps are added to provide for the needs of the patient • Provides support to the ACL, but also to the inner and outer components of the knee • Designed to reduce knee instability following an injury to the ACL • In general, people with ACL injuries report an improved sense of stability when wearing an ACL brace
Annotated Bibliography • http://health.costhelper.com/knee-braces.html • This source assisted us by giving a price statement for the cost of knee braces, so we could investigate into making a cheaper knee brace. • https://familydoctor.org/knee-bracing-what-works/ • This source informed us about the four different types of knee braces and the purpose of the knee brace in the rehabilitation phase for the patient. • http://kneepaininfo.com/bracesACL.htmli • This source told us about what an ACL is and how an ACL brace works. • http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00549 • This source gave further details on the ACL and where to find it within the patient’s knee. • http://orthosurg.ucsf.edu/patient-care/divisions/sports-medicine/conditions/knee/anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury-acl/ • This source provided us with data concerning the amount of injured ACL’s annually and the vulnerability of tearing one.
Picture Sources • http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:751191 • http://sporttherapysupport.com/knee-brace-for-football/ • http://www.shop-orthopedics.com/do-knee-braces-work-a/267.htm • http://www.aclsolutions.com/theacl_1.php • http://www.braceability.com/blog/the-four-types-of-knee-braces/ • http://www.braceability.com/blog/anterior-cruciate-ligament-acl-injury/