Additive Manufacturing of Custom Orthoses and Prostheses – A Review

Additive manufacturing (AM) of custom foot orthosis (FO), ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and prosthetic socket is reviewed and compared to the traditional plaster molding fabrication techniques. A study was first conducted at the University of Michigan Orthotics and Prosthetics Center (UMOPC) to study the quantity and revenue of various types of orthoses and prostheses. FO and AFO were identified as the highest revenue orthoses. Together with the prosthetic socket, which is prevalent among amputees, the current fabrication procedure at UMOPC and a detailed review of the design and AM research of these three types of orthoses and prostheses in the past 25 years are investigated. The laborious steps and long fabrication time of the traditional manufacturing method and the progress and benefits of AM for custom orthoses and prostheses are evident. The study concludes that there are still clinical, financial and technological barriers for full-scale implementation of AM in a service system for custom orthoses and prostheses.