December - 20198In My OpinionHuman movement is very complex, and it has been well established that footwear affects biomechanics in potentially negative and positive ways. Medical professionals often prescribe and/or customize footwear to address faulty biomechanics and lower extremity pathologies. It has traditionally been achieved via a labor-intensive manual process of casting, creating a plaster model of the foot, ankle or limb. Followed up by manufacturing a foot orthotic (insole) or brace by milling or shaping plastics and other materials and then fitting the custom device into off-the-shelf footwear. Podiatrists and other clinicians often cast and then mail the cast to an orthotic/prosthetic fabricating lab for production. This manufacturing process is changing as digital technologies­namely scanners, modeling software, and 3D printers become more accessible and allow for on-site production of custom footwear. The new paradigm not only is much more efficient but also opens up the footwear production and customization process to footwear manufacturers and retailers. The health implications of this will be significant.There are well-documented health benefits to comfortable and properly-fit footwear. There is also evidence that improperly fitting footwear is not only very common but also associated with pain and disability. Research has shown that comfortable footwear; improves sports performance, delays the onset of fatigue, reduces the risk of falling, and reduces the risk of developing an injury. Increasingly, professional athletes are benefitting from technology-driven custom footwear, including Olympic gold medalist, Alison Felix, and marathon world record holder, Eliud Kipchoge. Consumer demand for comfortable footwear is increasing according to Beth Goldstein of market research company NPD Group, who wrote in Footwear News, "Comfort is not just an added benefit, it is a necessity to today's shopper."Scanners and additive manufacturing (AM) methods such as 3D printing are the enabling technologies for footwear customization. These methods are opening the doors for new products and manufacturing methods that will 3D FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGIES WILL IMPACT HEALTH IN CLINICAL AND RETAIL SETTINGSPaul Langer, Podiatrist, Twin Cities OrthopedicsBy
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