A broken bone shouldn't mean weeks of living with a heavy, itchy cast you cannot get wet. 3D printed casts use digital scanning and precision printing to create a lightweight, custom-fit alternative to traditional plaster or fiberglass. Instead of trapping sweat and bacteria against your skin, a well-made cast lets you shower, wash your hands, and even potentially swim while your injury heals, so daily hygiene and comfort do not have to wait until your cast comes off.
At Modern Edge Sports & Orthopedic Medicine, board-certified physician Dr. Michael Wong offers on-site ActivArmor 3D scanning and cast fabrication for patients recovering from a range of non-surgical fractures. Trained through UPMC and experienced working alongside professional athletes with professional Pittsburgh sports teams, Dr. Mike brings that same hands-on, physician-led approach to every patient who needs a cast, whether you are new to our practice or already working with an outside surgeon.
If you are managing a fracture or another injury that does not require surgery, request an appointment today to find out whether a custom 3D-printed cast is right for your recovery.
To learn more about ActivArmor’s custom 3D printed casts and splints, visit ActivArmor.com(opens in a new tab).
Getting fitted for a 3D-printed cast at Modern Edge starts with a quick digital scan rather than the wet, messy process of a traditional cast application. During your visit, our team uses a handheld 3D scanner to capture a detailed map of your limb in under a minute. That scan is sent to design software, where your cast is customized to your injury, sizing, and any hardware you may need built in, then produced on our in-office 3D printer using a biocompatible ABS plastic. ActivArmor has been biocompatibility tested (ISO 10993-5 certified), supporting skin-contact use as directed by a treating provider.
ActivArmor is also listed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Class I splint. Once printed, you return to our office for a precision fitting so the cast sits comfortably and supports your injury correctly.
We see patients through two different paths depending on where you are in your treatment.
Primary fracture care at Modern Edge: If you were sent home from an emergency room or urgent care in a temporary splint, Dr. Mike can evaluate your X-rays, confirm that surgery is not needed, and manage your fracture from diagnosis through complete healing, including your 3D scan, printing, and fitting.
Collaborative cast fitting with your surgeon: If you are already under the care of an orthopedic surgeon or another treating physician, you can still be fitted for an ActivArmor cast at Modern Edge. This requires a consultation to review your records and imaging along with a written order from your treating physician. After your cast is fitted, you return to your surgeon for ongoing follow-up care.
Compared with a traditional plaster or fiberglass cast, an ActivArmor cast offers several practical advantages during recovery.
This technology works well for many common fracture sites. A 3D printed arm cast can support wrist and forearm injuries such as a distal radius fracture, a break near the wrist end of the forearm bone, or a scaphoid fracture, a small wrist bone fracture near the base of the thumb. We also see hand injuries such as boxer's fractures, a break at the knuckle end of the hand often caused by a direct impact, along with other metacarpal fractures, as well as lower leg and elbow injuries such as high-ankle sprains, fibular stress fractures, and radial head fractures that do not require surgery.
If your fracture needs extra support from a bone growth stimulator or a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit, your ActivArmor cast can be digitally designed with a precise opening exactly where the device needs to sit against your skin. Because that opening is planned during the initial 3D design phase rather than cut into a finished cast, the surrounding plastic keeps its structural strength.
This is different from a traditional cast, where adding a similar opening usually means cutting a hole after the fact, which can weaken the cast and leave rough edges against your skin. Your provider can build this feature into your cast plan if a bone stimulator or TENS unit is part of your treatment.
A traditional plaster or fiberglass cast is molded by hand and cannot get wet, which can make hygiene difficult during a long recovery. An ActivArmor cast is designed from a 3D scan of your limb and printed from a breathable, waterproof plastic. Depending on your injury and if cleared by Dr. Mike, this means that you can shower, wash your hands, and go about daily activities while protected
Yes. If you are already being treated by an orthopedic surgeon or another physician, you can meet with Dr. Mike for a consultation to review your records and imaging. With a written order from your treating physician, our team can scan, print, and fit your cast, then return you to your doctor for ongoing follow-up care.
3D-printed casts work well for a wide range of non-operative fractures, including wrist and forearm injuries such as distal radius and scaphoid fractures, hand injuries such as boxer's fractures and other metacarpal fractures, ankle injuries such as high-ankle sprains and fibular stress fractures, and elbow injuries such as radial head fractures, as well as some soft tissue injuries that need firm support while healing. Dr. Mike will confirm during your evaluation whether this option is appropriate for your specific injury.
Yes, for many patients. If you have not yet established care with another surgeon, Dr. Mike can evaluate your injury, confirm that surgery is not needed, and manage your fracture from initial diagnosis through complete healing, including your 3D scan, printing, and fitting. If you are already under the care of an orthopedic surgeon or another physician, our team can still fit you for an ActivArmor cast through a collaborative consultation, and you will return to your treating physician for ongoing follow-up care.
ActivArmor is listed with the FDA and is typically billed under standard durable medical equipment (DME) casting and splinting codes, the same category most plans use for traditional cast supplies. Coverage still varies by plan, so we recommend verifying your specific benefits before your appointment. You can review general coverage information on our insurance page, and our team is happy to help answer any questions.
Our office offers on-site 3D scanning and printing, so you can get evaluated and fitted for your cast in one convenient location. Scheduling is easy through our online appointment request form, and our team will help you find a visit time that works for your recovery. We look forward to seeing you soon.