Topline: Digital tools can accurately measure and adjust ankle-foot alignment in pediatric ankle-foot orthoses. Live scans closely matched cast models, with shape differences mainly in the foot and heel regions, according to a study published in PLOS One.

Dive deeper: Orthotists who participated in the study rated their satisfaction of the tools on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being "very satisfied." Their mean scores were 4.44, 4.33, and 4.17 for traditional shape capture and 4.06, 4.00, and 4.11  for digital shape capture. There were differences in rating the time required but no major differences in ease of the process and results.

What researchers are saying: "Further evaluation is needed to explore whether satisfaction or performance improves over time. As with any new technology, there is a learning curve before users feel completely comfortable and become optimally efficient with the process."

The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics' World Congress this summer highlighted advancements in prosthetic technology and research. Among topics discussed at the conference were the prevalence of osseointegration, devices that aim to help with phantom limb pain, new devices such as microprocessor knees from Össur and Blatchford, and progress in AI and brain-computer interface technologies for upper-limb amputees.

A study published in Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences found significant improvements in balance confidence among lower limb prosthesis users through a cognitive behavioral and physical therapy intervention. The intervention involved virtual reality gaming and exposure therapy to address psychological and physical aspects of balance confidence, and researchers said the outcomes support its initial efficacy.

Action observation and motor imagery using virtual reality can improve myoelectric prosthetic control, according to a study in Prosthetics and Orthotics International. The research found improvements in prosthetic control skills with VR-based training, particularly in grasp force adjustment, and researchers noted improvements at one week compared with controls.

Evergreen Prosthetics and Orthotics held its annual Community Track and Field Day in Portland, Ore., to connect people who use prostheses or orthotic devices with resources and a supportive community. Participants, including Paralympian Taylor Swanson, said they hope to inspire others to be active, while Jack Richmond, former president of the Amputee Coalition who attended the event, noted that "we're learning from each other, connecting as a community."

Hanger Clinic has established a monthly support group for amputees on St. Croix, with the first meeting featuring demonstrations of new technologies such as 3D-printed test sockets and a myoelectric hand, as well as conversations and encouragement for patients. With the new clinic, patients will be less likely to need to leave the island for adjustments or other treatment and can receive their devices faster. "I scanned a patient's limb, and by the next day we had a test socket ready. That patient will soon be walking with her new prosthesis -- something that would have taken much longer if everything had to be shipped off-island," said ABC-certified prosthetist-orthotist Sarah Thomas.