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Engineers at the University of Central Florida, Embry-Riddle, and the International Hip Dysplasia Institute are working on ways to refine a brace that’s used to treat infants with hip dysplasia. It could mean that families of older infants and those with total hip displacement might be able to opt out of surgery.

Using computer and 3D models, the team is reworking the brace called a Pavlik harness to move the joint back into the socket.

The work will be presented as part of the Embry-Riddle SpeakER series next Tuesday. Eventually it will lead to the creation of guidelines that doctors can be used to fit and treat almost any patient with the brace.

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