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

To avoid number of non-recovery patients and resulting costs the cartilage must be healed properly. Nutrition to cartilage, unlike other tissues, is provided by fluid dynamics in and out of cartilage which happens through cyclic loading of the tissue-by “pumping” or “moving” (Hara90). Bottlang lists factors that promote fracture healing (Bott99):

− Load shielding − Early post-operative motion − Reduction of comminuted fractures − Minimal impact/invasion on wound site.