The OTWorld international trade show and World Congress was held May 3-6 in Leipzig, Germany. The core themes were O&P, developments in rehabilitation, and new technologies in orthopedic care. Around half of the 542 exhibitors came from countries outside of Germany as did almost 40 percent of the attendees. New participants at the show included representatives from Argentina, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand, and Portugal.
Over 86 lecture series, symposia, and courses were offered by more than 330 speakers from 30 countries. New discussion formats, such as the workshop discussion sessions and the open forum, extended the range of opportunities and fostered links between science and skilled craftsmanship in practical approaches. For the first time, the congress included e-poster sessions, with more than 50 contributions. Additionally, OTWorld provided fabrication experience in the “transparent workshop,” part of the technical rehabilitation forum, during which technicians demonstrated techniques for custom-made orthopedic treatment solutions such as seating orthoses.
There were two keynote speakers each day with a “meet the speaker” session following each one. Topics included foot biomechanics in diabetes and off-loading strategies, novel treatments and clinical outcomes of phantom limb pain, future opportunities and challenges in the production of orthopedic technology, cosmetic socket technology, and the future of prosthetics and orthotics in neuro-orthopedics.
Expert themes this year included a focus on 3D printing; orthopedic footwear technology and podiatry; and the interface between human beings and machines, including the use of exoskeletons in rehabilitation and the most recent progress in the control of prosthetic hands; and concepts in healthcare retail, with discussions about marketing strategies and consumer behavior.
The next OTWorld is scheduled for May 8-11, 2018, in Leipzig.
