Design and Finite Element Evaluation of a Customized 3D-Printed Wrist-to-Finger Orthosis Targeting Carpal Tunnel Pressure Reduction
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- 2Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 26, Ethiopia
- 3Department of Machining, Assembly and Engineering Metrology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 2172/15, 708 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
- 4Interdisciplinary Research Center for Advanced Materials, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- 5Department of Aerospace Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition caused by increased carpal tunnel pressure and compression of the median nerve. Wrist–hand orthosis is widely used as a nonsurgical treatment to maintain the wrist in a near-neutral position and reduce pressure within the carpal tunnel. However, conventional orthosis often suffers from poor comfort, inadequate ventilation, localized pressure, and low patient compliance. This study aimed to design and evaluate a customized, multi-material 3D-printed wrist-to-finger orthosis that incorporated individual finger supports, perforated regions, and a volar clearance zone intended to avoid direct shell contact over the carpal tunnel region. A customized proof-of-concept orthosis was designed using a dual-material structure consisting of a rigid polylactic acid (PLA) outer shell and a flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) inner liner. The TPU liner was incorporated at skin contact regions to improve comfort, while the PLA shell provided structural support. Perforated lattice patterns were integrated to enhance ventilation and reduce weight, and a dedicated clearance zone was created on the volar side of the wrist to minimize direct pressure on the carpal tunnel area. Finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted under three loading conditions to evaluate stress distribution and deformation. The design refinement reduced the calculated mass from 258.27 to 205.36 g, corresponding to a 20.5% reduction. The maximum sampled von Mises stresses on the final PLA shell were 1.04 MPa on the upper surface and 0.99 MPa on the lower surface. Flexural testing demonstrated that the orthosis possessed adequate stiffness and maintained structural integrity under applied loads. The developed customized proof-of-concept orthosis demonstrates the feasibility of combining multi-material fused filament fabrication (FFF), personalized design, and FEA to produce a lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and mechanically reliable device for CTS management. The incorporation of a TPU liner and a carpal tunnel clearance zone has the potential to improve user comfort while maintaining the mechanical support required for effective treatment.
Related
- Optimization of electrochemical reduction of high-pressure CO₂ to hydrocarbon (methane) at nickel electrode in cold methanol.
- The EPR effect in human tumors: a critical re-evaluation of a nanomedicine dogma and a call for new targeting paradigms
- Targeting redox homeostasis in breast cancer: a review of synthesis, functional mechanisms, and in silico evaluation of metal-based benzimidazole and quinoline complexes
- Targeting microtubule dynamics: synthesis and evaluation of novel 4-thiazolidinone derivatives in pancreatic Cancer
- Synthesis of withaferin a derivatives and exploratory evaluation of weight reduction and fasting blood glucose in DIO mice
BibTeX
@article{abbas2026design,
title = {{Design and Finite Element Evaluation of a Customized 3D-Printed Wrist-to-Finger Orthosis Targeting Carpal Tunnel Pressure Reduction}},
author = {Muhammad Abbas and Niyonkuru Benjamin and Addisu Negash Ali and Kashif Azher and Suhail Hyder Vattathurvalappil and Aamer Nazir},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18202521},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2521},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Design and Finite Element Evaluation of a Customized 3D-Printed Wrist-to-Finger Orthosis Targeting Carpal Tunnel Pressure Reduction
AU - Muhammad Abbas
AU - Niyonkuru Benjamin
AU - Addisu Negash Ali
AU - Kashif Azher
AU - Suhail Hyder Vattathurvalappil
AU - Aamer Nazir
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18202521
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2521
AB - Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition caused by increased carpal tunnel pressure and compression of the median nerve. Wrist–hand orthosis is widely used as a nonsurgical treatment to maintain the wrist in a near-neutral position and reduce pressure within the carpal tunnel. However, conventional orthosis often suffers from poor comfort, inadequate ventilation, localized pressure, and low patient compliance. This study aimed to design and evaluate a customized, multi-material 3D-printed wrist-to-finger orthosis that incorporated individual finger supports, perforated regions, and a volar clearance zone intended to avoid direct shell contact over the carpal tunnel region. A customized proof-of-concept orthosis was designed using a dual-material structure consisting of a rigid polylactic acid (PLA) outer shell and a flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) inner liner. The TPU liner was incorporated at skin contact regions to improve comfort, while the PLA shell provided structural support. Perforated lattice patterns were integrated to enhance ventilation and reduce weight, and a dedicated clearance zone was created on the volar side of the wrist to minimize direct pressure on the carpal tunnel area. Finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted under three loading conditions to evaluate stress distribution and deformation. The design refinement reduced the calculated mass from 258.27 to 205.36 g, corresponding to a 20.5% reduction. The maximum sampled von Mises stresses on the final PLA shell were 1.04 MPa on the upper surface and 0.99 MPa on the lower surface. Flexural testing demonstrated that the orthosis possessed adequate stiffness and maintained structural integrity under applied loads. The developed customized proof-of-concept orthosis demonstrates the feasibility of combining multi-material fused filament fabrication (FFF), personalized design, and FEA to produce a lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and mechanically reliable device for CTS management. The incorporation of a TPU liner and a carpal tunnel clearance zone has the potential to improve user comfort while maintaining the mechanical support required for effective treatment.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -