2024, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (29): 4639-4644

3D printed personalized cervical orthopedic brace can alleviate and treat early cervical spondylosis

Yang Yunxiao1, 2, Zhao Yu3, Wang Minghai1, Yang Zezheng1, Wang Jinwu4   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Short-term wearing of cervical brace combined with shoulder and neck muscle exercise can significantly improve the symptoms of early cervical spondylosis. After stopping wearing cervical brace, patients’ symptoms are easy to recur, which may be due to the lack of cervical curvature correction function.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of 3D printed personalized cervical orthopedic brace for adjusting cervical curvature in the treatment of early cervical spondylosis.
METHODS: From January 2021 to January 2023, 30 patients with early cervical spondylosis in the Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University were studied, including 11 males and 19 females, with a mean age of (31.7±6.6) years old. All patients customized and wore 3D printed personalized cervical orthopedic braces for 3 hours a day for continuous 12 weeks. Borden value of cervical curvature, pain threshold of shoulder and neck muscles, cervical dysfunction index, and visual analog scale score in 30 patients were recorded before and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Compared with before treatment, the difference of Borden value of cervical curvature, right trapezius tenderness threshold, and cervical dysfunction index was not significant in 30 patients after 4 weeks of treatment (P > 0.05). Visual analog scale score, left trapezius tenderness threshold, left and right C5C6 tenderness threshold were significantly improved (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with before treatment, the cervical curvature Borden value, left and right trapezius tenderness threshold, visual analog scale score, left and right C5C6 tenderness threshold, and cervical dysfunction index of 30 patients were significantly improved after 12 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with 4 weeks after treatment, the Borden value of cervical curvature, right trapezius tenderness threshold, visual analog scale score, left and right C5C6 tenderness threshold and cervical dysfunction index of 30 patients after 12 weeks of treatment were significantly improved (P < 0.05). (4) The results show that short-term wearing of 3D printed personalized cervical orthopedic brace can improve the pain of patients with early cervical spondylosis, while long-term application has certain effect on the recovery of cervical curvature.

Key words: cervical spondylosis, neck brace, 3D printed brace, tenderness threshold, cervical dysfunction index, visual analog scale