Drive

Ankle sprains are shown most frequently at the emergency departments of hospitals in the Netherlands. Although most patients regain normal functionality, some remain sustaining problems such as pain or severe laxity for which no straightforward therapies are at hand.

Design philosophy

Our philosophy is gain fundamental understanding of the mechanics of the hindfoot. This way we could determine the underlying cause of patients problems and develop dedicated diagnostic protocols and therapies, e.g. 3D CT stress test. Amongst others we contribute in developing a biomechanical hindfoot model that can be individualized. Furthermore, we can use the fundamental knowledge as input for the design of new aids that help people with loss of function that cannot be restored, e.g. special walkers.

Focus on specific challenges

Challenges for hindfoot biomechanics & aided motion are the following: measuring joint loading, measuring kinematics at joint level, fitting designs naturally to the body, objective evaluation of functionality of products, model prediction of patients that are at risk. Examples of our solutions are found in the pictures and associated scientific papers in the blog roll of this project.