Developing a new generation of pressure-controlled wearable soft braces to improve the efficiency and compliance in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Professor Cheung, Kenneth Man Chee   (Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) (for projects led by other university))

Dr Yip Joanne Yiu Wan   (Project coordinator)

48

2024-06-24

760000

Developing a new generation of pressure-controlled wearable soft braces to improve the efficiency and compliance in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

functional garment, idiopathic scoliosis, soft brace, MRI, clinical prescription

Textile

Engineering (E)

R5039-23

Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2023/24

2023

On-going

(1) To conduct a systematic clinical study on the effect of a new generation of soft braces to correct the spinal curvature of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients with the use of an intelligent pneumatic padding system, which offers immediate, adjustable and highly accurate corrective forces. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible dynamic soft braces provide different amounts of pressure and their corresponding corrective effects on spinal curvature will be studied through MRI.(2) To develop a new generation of nighttime and daytime soft braces by using the results obtained in Objective 1 with optimised designs, functional fabrics, innovative 3D structures and conformable padding to reduce the spinal curvature of AIS patients and improve the functionality and wear comfort of the soft braces.(3) To establish guidelines for the clinical prescription of soft braces with highly accurate corrective forces as the successor of hard braces in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.