Faster healing is possible with 3D printed casts

It's painful enough to break a bone. If it has ever occurred to you, you are well aware of how stressful the recovery period may be. The cast's size, weight, and added mass make you feel quite exhausted. There isn't much you can do. Simply because you want your bones to heal, you continue to wear the cast. Casts need not interfere with your lifestyle or movement, and that is precisely where 3D printing disagrees.

The problem of broken bone fragments being less annoying is greatly helped by three-dimensional picture printing. The measurements for the cast might very well be changed to make the printed cast fit the patient like their own skin.

 Unlike a traditional cast, which covers your entire arm or leg, the one you wear alone does not need to maintain its engineering. Because it gives you reinforcement only where it is necessary, it naturally becomes much more comfortable. You could at least claim that it is more pleasant to wear than a plaster cast in terms of both visual appeal and comfort.

When he shattered his own leg, a man by the name of Mike North created his own 3D-printed cast. Given his active lifestyle, North did not want the typical cast to restrict his mobility. He decided to work with the 3D printing business Fathom Studio. They worked together to create a cast that addressed his problems. 

The cast's construction was sufficiently sturdy to support necessary rehabilitation, without being overly heavy to compromise flexibility. Sensors were also added to the cast at the same time to promote recuperation. These sensors kept track of leg movement and edema. Any data gathered was forwarded to North's doctor.

A 3D printing business and a prosthetics company have also partnered to test this out. When one of Bespoke's very own corporate directors tore an arm tendon and desired a better method of healing, the two companies decided to collaborate. The team created a cast with the help of an orthopedic doctor that might give you the right support for healing while still being much more pleasant. They were able to produce a cast that was more comfortable for long-term use since they used fewer raw materials to make it. Unlike plaster casts, it could even get wet or moist because it was plastic.

The patient could also immediately apply heat or cold compresses or scar-reduction ointments to the skin because the cast didn't completely cover the arm.

Although there are few examples, 3D printed casts are still in the research stage, so don't anticipate acquiring one anytime soon. One would currently cost much more to make than a traditional plaster cast thanks to the many forms of 3D printing. However, the 3D printed cast often takes significantly less time to apply to the patient and take off when finished. As a result, it at least takes less time for both the patient and the doctor.

You'll discover that you use a lot less raw materials to make the cast as well. The substance utilized for printing is quite similar to the printer filament used in the majority of 3D printers.

Let's cross our fingers that you never break an arm or a leg. But if you do, at least you are aware that you will eventually have choices. Although 3D printers can't make the agony go away, they can at least speed up your rehabilitation.