BIO-REACTIVE ANKLE TEAM
Project Background
Previously existed a MET2 project pertaining to our same design challenge; creating a bioreactive ankle brace. This previous team conducted its project completion, however any tangible results they obtained were in vein to our ambitions. Accompanying being unable to attain the previous group’s work or get in contact with any of the previous members, as a new team, we desired a blank slate nevertheless. This lack of previous information made the foundation of our design boundless in the pursuit of ankle sprain prevention and recovery.
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An ankle sprain is an injury which occurs when the ankle is rolled or twisted in an awkward manner; this may result in tearing or stretching of ligaments. Ligaments attach one bone to another and are needed to stabilize joints - in other words, they make sure our joints only bend in certain directions. The lateral complex of the ankle is made up of three ligaments: the Anterior Talofibular, the Calcaneofibular and the Posterior Talofibular.
These ligaments prevent ankle inversion, but when rolled on hard enough, are also the ligaments that get sprained. In acute cases, these ligaments stretch, disfigure or tear. Deterioration in ankle ligaments from previous injuries increases the chance of an injury reoccurring. Braces available on the market lack injury preventative technology, along with other advanced features. We were determined to overcome these difficulties to promote recovery and increase a patient's future activity levels.
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