Design & Analysis of a Soft Exoskeleton to Prevent Ankle Sprain

Anthony Petrella

apetrell@mines.edu

<p class="p1">Ankle sprains are one of the most common distal extremity injuries occurring among both civilian and military</p> <p class="p1">populations in the United States. The incidence of ankle sprains is approximately 23,000 – 25,000 per day in the</p> <p class="p1">civilian population alone, with an estimated direct medical cost in the range of $2-6 Billion. Approximately 80% of all</p> <p class="p1">sprain cases are inversion sprains. Ankle sprains among military Service members occur at a rate more than five</p> <p class="p1">times greater than that seen in civilian populations, with significant negative impacts on operational readiness of the</p> <p class="p1">fighting force. Ankle injuries comprise the greatest proportion of musculoskeletal injuries among active-duty Service</p> <p class="p1">members and create a considerable burden on the military healthcare system. Indirect costs associated with lost</p> <p class="p1">workdays, decreased quality of life, and long-term health conditions (e.g., chronic ankle instability, osteoarthritis)</p> <p class="p1">are difficult to quantify but acknowledged to be substantial. Currently available braces capable of protecting against</p> <p class="p1">lateral ankle sprain include sleeve, lace-up, and stirrup braces. All these contemporary technologies provide varying</p> <p class="p1">levels of ankle protection, which are offset by undesirable effects that reduce user compliance. Such undesirable</p> <p class="p1">effects may include (a) impairment of non-injurious joint biomechanics, (b) user discomfort, (c) excessive time and</p> <p class="p1">effort to put the device on and off, and (d) negative user perceptions (e.g., performance limitations, perceived risk</p> <p class="p1">of injury to other joints). Although ankle bracing has been shown to reduce sprain injuries in both civilian and</p> <p class="p1">military populations, user compliance is clearly essential – i.e., a brace can only be effective if it is worn. The goals of</p> <p class="p1">this study, therefore, are to develop and apply a new paradigm for brace design that empowers the creation of a</p> <p class="p1">next-generation solution to protect against lateral ankle sprain – a solution that overcomes the undesirable effects</p> <p class="p1">listed above and promotes effective ankle protection through high user satisfaction and compliance. This technology</p> <p class="p1">will seek to leverage the latest advances in materials, manufacturing, and mechatronics (i.e., sensing, actuation,</p> <p class="p1">power) to deliver a soft ankle exoskeleton capable of adapting to both the user and the environment.</p>

Grand Challenge: Not applicable.

Anthony Petrella