Ankle Support Calcaneous Control Strap Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ankle supports often limit normal gait while attempting to stabilize the ankle against inversion and eversion, or they fail to adequately prevent ankle sprains by allowing excessive movement.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight ankle support with a calcaneous control strap system that includes a receiver for the calcaneous bone and straps extending underneath and over the midfoot to limit undesired movement of the subtalar joint, thereby stabilizing the ankle without restricting up/down motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing ankle supports are used to stabilize the ankle against inversion and eversion, then ankle stability is improved, but normal gait is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ankle support is divided into separate functional components: a body portion for the lower leg, a foot plate for the foot, and a calcaneous control strap system. This segmentation allows each component to address specific stability needs while preserving natural gait motion through the hinged connection between body portion and foot plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged coupling between the body portion and foot plate creates a dynamic structure that adapts to natural ankle motion during gait. The hinge allows controlled movement while providing stability when needed, resolving the contradiction between stability and normal gait freedom.
2Reliability
If existing ankle supports are used to prevent ankle sprains, then inversion and eversion are limited, but excessive movement is still allowed
Solution Approach 1:
The calcaneous control strap system applies stabilization forces specifically to the calcaneous bone and subtalar joint area, providing targeted control where it is most needed for sprain prevention. This localized approach ensures reliable injury prevention while allowing necessary movement elsewhere in the foot-ankle complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The calcaneous control straps are positioned and tensioned in advance to prevent excessive movement before it occurs. By pre-positioning the straps to control calcaneous bone movement, the system proactively prevents inversion and eversion that could lead to sprains.
3Weight of moving object
If ankle supports are made lightweight and compact for wear inside shoes, then comfort and wearability are improved, but stabilization capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ankle support utilizes flexible straps and a thin foot plate that can be worn inside shoes. These flexible components provide necessary stabilization through strategic positioning and tensioning rather than relying on heavy rigid structures, achieving both lightness and stabilization capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A foot support having straps which receive the calcaneous and wrap around the midfoot in a tensioned state for stabilizing the rearfoot and the midfoot to avoid excessive inversion and eversion of the foot.