Biomechanical Evaluation of Three-Dimensional Printed Leg Orthosis for Ankle Fixation: Finite Element and Thermal Analysis

The rising prevalence of diabetes, projected to reach 334 million by 2030 which calls for the needs for effective foot orthosis. This study addresses the limitations of conventional leg orthosis by introducing customized approach using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and 3D printing technology. A volunteer’s ankle was scanned to create 360-degree digital model, adjusted for a customized fit and validated through FEA in CAD software. Furthermore, the results indicate that during all three gait conditions- stance, heel strike and toe off, the maximum VMS observed on the orthosis did not surpass the yield strength of TPE 85A (9.5 MPa). Specifically, the stress value recorded were 1.24627 MPa during stance, 3.18709 MPa during heel strike, and 4.80551 MPa during toe off. The orthosis designed to accommodate natural body movements and thermal fluctuations, was 3D printed and evaluated for thermal comfort using thermal imaging. Results showed the orthosis effectively managed stress during gait phases with improved heat dissipation compared to conventional orthosis.