We did some background research on the ankle injury design space, which included speaking with Robert Burns, a Kinesiology instructor and Campus Physio representative at the University of Waterloo. Here are some of the main takeaways:

  • During participation in sports, the ankle is the most injured part of the body, with more than majority of the injury being inversion sprain.
  • Weakening of tendons after healing from ankle injury can lead to easier re-injury of ankle.
  • From a recovery standpoint, it is important to get the ankle back to moving as soon as possible to prevent deterioration of the ankle.
  • Existing ankle braces are good at providing stability to the ankle, but they also limit freedom of motion, which is a drawback for active rehab standpoint.

This leads us to our needs statement:

There is a need for an ankle support mechanism that supports the weakened tendons while still allowing for functional movements of the ankle.

In particular, this outlines an ankle rehab scheme that incentivizes return to physical activity after an ankle injury while reducing risk of re-injury. The solution should be applicable to athletic activities and both offer stabilizing support to the ankle while still providing freedom of motion.