Treating Clubfoot, One Print At A Time

By on December 16th, 2010 in Event

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According to Wikipedia, Clubfoot is a “congenital deformity involving one foot or both”. You might not realize this, but clubfoot occurs naturally in approximately one out of every one thousand births. Without treatment, sufferers are forced to painfully walk on the sides of their feet and face a lifetime of misery. 
 
In developed nations clubfoot is often easily treated after birth with braces and therapy using the Ponseti method, with surgery rarely required. After treatment, the patient will have feet that function and appear normal. However, such miraculous treatment is not always available to citizens of poorer countries. 
 
Until now. 
 
Objet Geometries, makers of several lines of advanced commercial 3D printers, have donated materials and equipment to miraclefeet. The equipment will be used to design new braces that will open access to treatment for many who otherwise would not. The 3D printing approach enables teams to produce unique braces that are a lot more interesting than the current mass-produced items of today. 
 
Well done, Objet! Please donate at miraclefeet. 
 
Via miraclefeet (Hat tip to Rachael)

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!

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