Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering - Department of Systems and Biomedical Engineering

Ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries in sports. It may occur during regular functional activities and may result in an unstable ankle joint. Repeated incidences of ankle sprain may be complicated with chronic ankle instability (CAI), which, if not treated, can lead to permanent ligament damage and impairment of normal gait. In an effort to avoid such consequences, ongoing research has investigated methods for protecting the ankle and preventing the occurrence of ankle sprain. This study addresses prevention of recurrent ankle sprain by presenting the design and implementation of a smart wearable device that can predict, and hence, prevent the occurrence of ankle sprain. The proposed device prevents ankle ligamentous injury by electrical stimulation of the peroneal muscles using surface electrodes causing dorsiflexion of the foot. Prediction of potentially harmful motion is achieved by continuous monitoring of ankle kinematics using inertial motion sensors. Laboratory testing of the device showed that it has a fast response time of eight msec, which enables prevention of ankle sprain before ligament damage occurs. Testing also showed an accuracy of 96% in detection and taking corrective action of motion that predisposes to ankle sprain (plantar flexion and inversion). Wireless communication between the components of the device, in addition to its small size, low cost and low power consumption, makes it unobtrusive, easy to wear without hindering regular functional activities. The device connects via Bluetooth to an android smart phone application for continuous data logging and reporting to keep track of the incidences of possible ankle sprain motion and its correction. Future work is recommended to test the clinical effectiveness of the proposed device in patients with CAI

Issued also as CD