Support shaped to fit
Free 3D printed orthoses, designed around each recipient's need, providing support and stabilisation needed for rehabilitation.
- 22+
- Items printed
- 17hrs
- Average print time
- PETG
- Filament
Orthoses
HFA-BCMF’s first orthosis, a hand brace, was developed in 2024 when Mae Tao Clinic’s physiotherapy department referred a patient requesting a supportive device for hand rehabilitation and stabilisation. Braces, splints and foot inserts are expensive, so most partner organisations cannot provide them to patients unless they receive specific donations, while patients often cannot afford to purchase their own. HFA-BCMF’s 3D team developed initial prototypes and continued testing and refining the design with different recipients, incorporating ongoing feedback to improve functionality and comfort. From the initial request, the designs have evolved into multiple designs that can be tailored to recipients’ specific needs.
Product photos
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Recipient stories
Kaung
Age 27
motorcycle accident
“This support helps people like me who cannot afford medical devices.”
Kaung is a 27-year-old man from Burma who works in administration at a clinic in Thailand. After a motorcycle injury left him with a broken right wrist, it was placed in a cast for one month. Afterwards, he underwent physiotherapy at Mae Tao Clinic, but the clinic did not have a brace suitable for long-term use or designed to meet his specific injury.
After he received a custom 3D printed hand brace from BCMF, the brace helped stabilise his wrist and reduce pain his wrist. He was then able to help his mother cook again and complete administrative tasks at work more easily. “Thank you to BCMF and all donors. This support helps people like me who cannot afford to buy medical devices. Some people cannot even receive this kind of care. I hope more people can be helped like this in the future,” he said.
Sandar
Age 19
Hemiparesis due to TB encephalopathy
“I will use it to everyday, so that I can recover”
Sandar is a 19-year-old woman from Burma who contracted tuberculosis when she was seven years old. Although she received treatment at a hospital, the infection spread to the protective membrane covering her brain, which resulted in her becoming paralysed in her left side. Overtime, she was regained mobility except in her left hand, where the wrist is extremely tight and she has limited dexterity in her fingers. This causes her difficulty with any tasks that require the use of both her hands.
Although she had an arm brace, she found it difficult to use and uncomfortable. In April 2025, she received one from BCMF, which she finds more comfortable and easier to use. “I will use it to everyday, so that I can recover [and use my hand again] and become a medic or a nurse,” she said.
Aye
Age 45
stroke
“It is much more comfortable for my daily life.”
Aye is a 45-year-old woman from Burma who had a stroke in the middle of 2018 that severely affected mobility in the left side of her body. She lost the ability to move her left hand and wrist, and her left foot developed a foot drop. To help her with her recover, Mae Tao Clinic referred her to BCMF for a hand brace and a ankle-foot orthosis.
She shared, “Before I received the assistive devices, I only went to the Physiotherapy Department [of Mae Tao Clinic] to do exercises. After the exercises, my hand went back to the stroke position [clenched fist] again. Now I have a hand brace, after I finish my exercises, I wear it and it keeps my hand stable. I had used an AFO before, but that one was hard and painful, so I stopped using it. The AFO from BCMF is smooth and flexible. I can wear it at home, not only with shoes. It is much more comfortable for my daily life. Before coming here, I checked online and the devices were very expensive. Now I received them for free. Thank you very much for your kindness and support. I hope you can help more people like me in the future.”