Fully individual custom made 3D printed orthoses

The technical problem solved by the invention is such a process of capturing data, processing and producing an ankle foot orthosis, that allows the orthosis to completely fit a user’s foot and such shape of an ankle foot orthosis that will allow selective correction of individual symptoms and several symptoms simultaneously and will at the same time not reduce other user’s functionalities such as flexibility.
My son Nik was born one month prematurely. Due to difficulties during childbirth, Nik suffered severe brain damage that led to Cerebral Palsy.
Unsettled with the idea that their son would never be able to walk, Matej and his wife, Mateja, created a custom-made, 3D printed orthosis that provides support and correction where Nik needed, helping him to take his first steps independently.
“When you're looking at your child, you instinctively know what to do in order to help him,” said Matej.
Initially, when Nik was trying to stand up, we put him in skiing boots to stabilize his ankles. However, due to Nik’s low muscle tone and short Achilles tendon, his physiotherapist, Petra Timošenko suggested to try an ankle-foot orthosis to help stabilize Nik’s foot. Matej and Mateja were confronted with two opposite choices: very uncomfortable pre-made orthotics; and extremely expensive custom-made orthoses.
“The lack of comfort and high price combined with all the other cons were enough that I decided to do something about it. I didn't have the solution at that time, but I wanted to find a better way to design it. I was just trying to help my son the best possible way.”
Matej found in the 3D printing technology the combination of high accuracy and design freedom he needed to achieve the perfect fit. It took him 13 prototypes to reach full success and to give Nik the support he needed, which comfortably fit into his normal pair of shoes. Also, the workflow that Matej developed for the 3D-custom-made orthosis is now under patent.
“Now I can do much more sophisticated exercise with him. We can run on a treadmill, we can jump, because I know that his feet are in the right position and I can’t cause any deformation to his bones or joints, that might, on the long term, require an operation to correct. If he didn’t have this orthosis, his feet would be in danger.”, Matej said.
Nik, who is now 8, is on his fourth 3D printed orthosis.
“The first version gave him confidence and stabilized him. The second version improved his overall walking smoothness. Then the third helped him get better posture, and that’s when he really started to enjoy the walking and started to play around. The fourth orthosis corrected his right foot that was off the center of his body, so now he’s able to stand with his feet together in a straightened, upright position.”.
Matej, Mateja, Petra and Dejan Tašner, a certified orthotist and prosthetist, created the aNImaKe company with the aim to provide precise, patient-specific 3D printed orthotics to help other children in need.