An Investigation on the Evaluation and Improvement of Existing Features of Foot Exercise Apparatus Designed for Use in Evertor and Invertor Muscle Dysfunction

Yıl 2025, , 186 - 196, 30.01.2025

Ufuk Ateşoğlu , Serap Yeşilkır Baydar , Osman Nuri Özyalvaç

https://doi.org/10.29130/dubited.1398015

Öz

Clubfoot deformity is one of the most important congenital anomalies of paediatric orthopaedics and characterised by equinus, supination and inversion of the foot muscles. Although treatment of this pathology, which presents as a gait disorder in the early stages of development, is currently attempted with exercise, physiotherapy and/or surgical approaches, the success rates of these treatments are low and/or lateral compression recurs. This situation confronts many children and their families with the difficulties and costs of the treatment process. The aim of this study is to produce and develop an apparatus for the treatment of this dysfunction with today's engineering approaches. For this purpose, in this study, a prototype was designed and manufactured using three-dimensional (3D) printing method with tough polylactic acid (PLA). The prototype can support both the right and left foot and enables to exercise up to angles of 31.8° for both evertor and invertor muscle. Clubfoot deformity is one of the most important congenital anomalies of paediatric orthopaedics and characterised by equinus, supination and inversion of the foot muscles. Although treatment of this pathology, which presents as a gait disorder in the early stages of development, is currently attempted with exercise, physiotherapy and/or surgical approaches, the success rates of these treatments are low and/or lateral compression recurs. This situation confronts many children and their families with the difficulties and costs of the treatment process. The aim of this study is to produce and develop an apparatus for the treatment of this dysfunction with today's engineering approaches. For this purpose, in this study, a prototype was designed and manufactured using three-dimensional (3D) printing method with tough polylactic acid (PLA). The prototype can support both the right and left foot and enables to exercise up to angles of 31.8° for both evertor and invertor muscle.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Clubfoot deformity, Evertor muscle, Design and fabrication, 3D printer

Evertör ve Invertör Kas Disfonksiyonları için Ayak Egzersiz Aletinin Kavramsal Tasarımı ve 3D Yazıcı ile Üretimi

Öz

Çarpık ayak deformitesi pediatrik ortopedinin en önemli konjenital anomalilerinden biridir ve ayak kaslarının ekinus, supinasyon ve inversiyonu ile karakterizedir. Gelişimin erken dönemlerinde yürüme bozukluğu olarak ortaya çıkan bu patolojinin tedavisi için günümüzde egzersiz, fizyoterapi ve/veya cerrahi yaklaşımlarla yapılmaya çalışılsa da bu tedavilerin başarı oranları düşüktür ve/veya yan basma sorunu yeniden tekrarlamaktadır. Bu durum birçok çocuk ve ailesini tedavi sürecinin zorlukları ve maliyetleri ile karşı karşıya bırakmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, günümüz mühendislik yaklaşımları ile bu fonksiyon bozukluğunun tedavisine yönelik bir aparat üretmek ve geliştirmektir. Bu amaçla, bu çalışmada sert polilaktik asit (PLA) ile üç boyutlu (3D) baskı yöntemi kullanılarak bir prototip tasarlanmış ve üretilmiştir. Prototip hem sağ hem de sol ayağı destekleyebilmekte ve hem evertor hem de invertor kasları için 31,8°'lik açılara kadar egzersiz yapmaya olanak sağlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Çarpık ayak deformitesi, Evertor kası, Tasarım ve fabrikasyon, 3D yazıcı

Kaynakça

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