Cure CMT, Tamarack join to expand patient access to orthotic devices
Company's products can be found through nonprofit's website
Cure CMT is partnering with Tamarack Habilitation Technologies to expand access to advanced orthotic devices — used to correct and support bone and muscle — for people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.
Under this collaboration, CMT patients will have direct access to Tamarack’s devices through the Cure CMT website platform to help reduce barriers to accessing assistive devices. Tamarack has also made a financial investment to support Cure CMT’s educational and research initiatives.
“This partnership represents a meaningful step forward in our commitment to connecting CMT patients with the tools and technologies they need to live their fullest lives,” Pat Livney, founder of Cure CMT, said in a Cure CMT press release. “Tamarack’s innovative approach to orthotic design aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance quality of life for individuals living with CMT.”
CMT patients commonly need ankle-foot orthoses
CMT refers to a group of genetic conditions that affect the peripheral nervous system, the network of nerves that control movement and sensation in the arms and legs. This leads to symptoms like muscle weakness, loss of muscle tissue, tingling and burning sensations in the hands and feet, and diminished ability to sense temperature.
People with CMT may have walking difficulties associated with impaired ability to lift their feet from the ground or pes cavus, high-arched feet that result from the loss of muscle around the joints of the legs and feet. This significantly impacts mobility and daily activities, with CMT patients commonly needing ankle-foot orthoses to be independent and maintain quality of life.
Tamarack has created a flexure joint technology for ankle-foot orthoses to enhance stability, ease fatigue, and improve functionality, according to the company. Products using this technology have high strength and durability, are lightweight and easy to install, and allow smooth articulation, Tamarack states.
The flexure joints can be installed in custom thermoplastic, composite, and 3D-printed orthopedic devices. The company’s flexure joint caps are intended to maximize joint performance and clinical outcomes, and improve dorsiflexion, or the upward movement of the foot toward the shin.
“Partnering with Cure CMT allows us to directly serve a community that can significantly benefit from our advanced orthotic technologies,” said Cole Carson, Tamarack’s owner and CEO. “We’re proud to support both their advocacy work and their efforts to connect patients with life-changing mobility solutions.”
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