Orthopedic treatment of the lower extremities involves a variety of approaches that use technical medical accessories such as external fixators. Functionality assessment, external fixator design, and thus treatment success are all usually dependent on the experience of the orthopedists responsible for treatment. Insufficient stability resulting from patient failure to comply with strain constraints in conjunction with such disorders as diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) can lead to complications and even amputation. Commercially available solutions for external fixators are not optimal, since the force of the patient’s weight is guided by both the fracture point and the fixator. To immobilize a fracture, the fixator must be very stiff and/or stress must be reduced throughout the system initially.

This has various disadvantages: the patient must comply or his mobility be greatly reduced, or the fixator must be very large.

The new invention provides a foot element for an external fixator that mechanically bridges the damage point or the foot/ankle fracture so that loads are introduced proximally during movement. This allows immediate patient mobilization with full load, no matter the degree of recuperation. Mechanical bridging of a fracture allows a much smaller immobilizing fixator than was previously possible, since stiffness requirements are much lower.