Specialized Knee Brace to Correct Knee Hyperextension Caused by Traumatic Brain Injury.

Individuals with motor disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury face multiple barriers in their rehabilitation. Knee hyperextension can cause gait problems, compromising their autonomy, optimal development and restricting their physical abilities; in addition, if not treated in time, it can lead to structural damage to the knee joint.

The design of a specialized knee brace, in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 20, responds to the need to recover the patient's autonomy, helping to overcome the barriers that arose from a traumatic brain injury.

-3D printer Bambu Lab X1 Carbon

-Scan

-Filament ePA-CF 1.75mm

-Gypsum Bandages

-Hook and Loop closures

-Pelite

-2/3 Flexible rulers

-Cutter

-First, take the mold of the knee shape, with the gypsum Bandages, using one or two from the medial part of the tibia to the superior medial part of the thigh. Place the rulers needed to cover almost the whole leg, after, take the bandages, put them in water and roll them up till cover the whole joint, shaping perfectly the knee at 180°, finally wait for it to dry and cut it with the cutter. Take another part of a bandage and close the holes.

Using gypsum, previously mixed water, fill the whole mold taken beforehand, put the steel rod in the middle and wait for it to dry, then take away de mold of bandages. Congrats, you have mold to work on.

Using a CR-Scan Ferret, scan the new mold to facilitate the working on the CAD with the correct measurements, this scan can be imported to SolidWorks and work over it.

In SolidWorks, based on the measurements of the scanning and actually on top of it, the design was made, having a mobile part with a cap that blocks movement further than 180°.

The design was printed on a 3D printer Bambu Lab X1 Carbon using ePA.CF, this material combines nylon copolymer 6/66 with 20% carbon fiber, which makes it a light and resistant material, in addition to having considerable flexibility.