Icarus Medical released the new Ascender, an innovative multi-compartment unloader knee brace that contains the company’s patented external muscle-tendon system (EMTS) technology, and is the only non-surgical solution to sufficiently address patellofemoral knee pain. The Ascender overlays the thigh and calf to generate a significant resistive force that increases with degree of knee flexion, assisting the quadriceps, and unloading large amounts of force from the knee joint. This technology is different from any on-market technologies, because it features a uniquely effective method of supporting all three knee joint compartments to relieve pain, while its high-rate custom fabrication method also makes the brace more affordable than other products on the market.
“With the advent of its innovative Ascender technology, Icarus Medical is disrupting the orthopedic brace landscape while revolutionizing the production process and care delivery,” said Simon Görtz, MD FAAOS Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon at Mass General Brigham/Harvard Medical School.
The high torque generated in the brace hinge distributes force away from the knee joint to other parts of the leg, thereby reducing contact pressure between arthritic bone surfaces. The patellofemoral joint in particular experiences three to seven times body weight during flexion over very small surface areas.
The tensioning system is discretely built into the brace and can be rapidly adjusted by the user via a rotatable Boa dial to provide resistive forces ranging from 0 to 40 pounds. The adjustable element of the brace enhances usability over a wide range of activities and increases the likelihood of user compliance, which will improve its effectiveness in delaying disease progression.
The brace is extremely lightweight at 16 ounces, is form-fitting, can be customized to individual users, and is relatively inexpensive to produce via 3D printing. The manufacturing process begins with either the patient or a professional taking a rapid 3D scan of the knee using a mobile phone app. Automated software developed by Icarus automatically builds the custom Ascender brace to fit the scan of the patient’s leg, which is immediately 3D printed overnight with a batch of other braces.
“Icarus has brought high-tech to orthopedic bracing,” said Dr. William Beach at Tuckahoe Orthopedics. “Their scanning and brace manufacturing technology will revolutionize the industry.”
The resulting brace is equipped with an integrated thermoplastic polyurethane tensioning system and is tailored, robust, lightweight, inexpensive, and most importantly, highly effective at unloading weight from the knee. Initial product testing among 19 users indicated a significant mean pain reduction of over 50% when using the brace during squats compared to no brace. All individuals with knee pain related to PFOA experienced significant pain reduction. Pain readings were collected using the standardized visual analog pain scale. An ongoing study of 30 current users using the standardized KOOS Jr. survey supported this initial data, with pain and function outcomes statistically equivalent to published outcomes for total knee replacement (TKR) one year post operation.
Dave Johnson, the founder of Icarus Medical, had a severe case of “bone-on-bone” osteoarthritis (OA), which involves the painful deterioration of cartilage in the joint, exposing bone and nerve endings. There is no cure for this condition short of a joint replacement, which is painful, expensive, and not advisable for patients under 60 years old. Currently in his 30s, Dave is too young to receive a knee replacement. Frustrated with the lack of bracing options that help people of all ages cope with OA pain, Johnson was determined to build a company with this mission: help people suffering from OA remain active, experience less pain, and restore their quality of life.
“It’s hard to do what you want in life when you don’t feel 100 percent,” Johnson said. “We’re here to get you back to your 100 percent.”
For more info, visit www.icarusmedical.com.
