Force Characterization and Manufacturing of a Dynamic Unilateral Clubfoot Brace

Clubfoot is a musculoskeletal birth defect characterized by an inward twisting of an infant’s feet. Currently, a series of casts are used to correct clubfoot and the Steenbeek brace is used to maintain the correction. However, this method has issues with compliance, comfort, and social stigma. Mr. Jerald Cunningham, CPO, designed and is utilizing a unilateral clubfoot maintenance brace called the Cunningham Clubfoot Brace. He expects his brace to reduce treatment time, lessen social stigma, and increase child mobility. Hope Walks, in Kijabe, Kenya, is interested in implementing this new maintenance brace at their clinics. However, there is not enough published research on its biomechanics and patient success rates to confirm Mr. Cunningham’s findings. The Cunningham Clubfoot Brace Collaboratory project seeks to validate the effectiveness of this design through biomedical testing and increase brace accessibility through sustainable manufacturing. The team is measuring the biomechanical forces applied by the brace with multiple force sensors on the Cunningham and Steenbeek braces. Mr. Cunningham plans to use injection molding to increase brace production. The team is completing Finite Element Analysis to determine how the brace’s properties change with injection molding. The team is also completing fatigue analysis with the Cunningham Brace to quantify its reusability. Furthermore, the clinical study in Kenya and Dr. Emily Farrar’s retrospective research paper will contribute to the published research on the Cunningham Brace. The collaborative efforts of the team will increase further understanding of the Cunningham Brace and its acceptance as an alternative clubfoot maintenance brace.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2022/1002/thumbnail.jp

Force Characterization and Manufacturing of a Dynamic Unilateral Clubfoot Brace

Clubfoot is a musculoskeletal birth defect characterized by an inward twisting of an infant’s feet. Currently, a series of casts are used to correct the clubfoot, and a boots-and-bar brace is used to maintain the correction. However, this method has concerns with compliance, comfort, and social stigma. Hope Walks and their clinic in Kijabe, Kenya are interested in implementing a new maintenance brace that addresses these concerns. Mr. Jerald Cunningham, CPO, designed and is utilizing a unilateral clubfoot maintenance brace called the Cunningham Clubfoot Brace. He asserts his brace reduces treatment time, lessens social stigma, and increases child mobility. However, to date, there is not enough published research on its biomechanics and patient success rates to confirm his findings. The Cunningham Clubfoot Brace Collaboratory project seeks to validate the effectiveness of the Cunningham design through biomedical testing and increase brace availability through sustainable manufacturing. To do this, the team is measuring the biomechanical forces applied by the brace with multiple force sensor systems and an infant foot model. The team is assisting Mr. Cunningham in his plans to use injection molding to increase brace production by scanning and creating CAD files of the brace. The team is also completing a failure and reuse analysis of the Cunningham Brace for the clinic in Kijabe. Furthermore, the ongoing clinical study at CURE International\u27s hospital in Kijabe, Kenya, and Dr. Emily Farrar’s research paper will provide greater insight into the effectiveness of the Cunningham Brace. These collaborative efforts will allow for further understanding of the effectiveness of the Cunningham Brace and its acceptance as an alternative clubfoot maintenance brace.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2021/1001/thumbnail.jp

Force Characterization and Manufacturing of a Dynamic Unilateral Clubfoot Brace

Clubfoot is a musculoskeletal birth defect that is characterized by an inward twisting of an infant’s feet. The current method for correction involves several casts and a bilateral boots-and-bar maintenance brace. This method of maintenance requires 5 years of bracing and has issues with compliance, comfort, and social stigma. CURE International in Kijabe, Kenya is currently using the boots-and-bar brace but is interested in implementing a design that reduces these concerns. Mr. Jerald Cunningham, CPO, designed and is utilizing a unilateral clubfoot maintenance brace, the Cunningham Brace, which he expects will reduce treatment time to 2-3 years, lessen the social stigma, and increase the child’s mobility. However, there is not enough published research on its biomechanics and patient success rates to confirm his findings. The Collaboratory Cunningham Clubfoot Brace project seeks to validate the effectiveness of this design and increase accessibility through force testing and standardized manufacturing. We are working on measuring the biomechanical forces created and applied by the brace with a series of force sensors that are attached to the child’s brace. In addition, a new wrapping process for manufacturing the Cunningham Brace is being developed to increase the productivity and reproducibility of brace manufacturing in Kenya. Along with a clinical study that was started in Kenya, this testing and manufacturing will allow for further understanding of the effectiveness of the Cunningham Brace and provide more research for the medical community for it to potentially be accepted as an alternative clubfoot maintenance brace.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2020/1014/thumbnail.jp